Ghost Ship
by Kieno0324
Summary: One of Madoka's friends is asking the SPR for help. Her ship, docked in England, is rumored to be haunted. Naru's being blackmailed into taking the case. Mai has no choice but to go as well. With Gene being mischevious,who knows what will happen!NxM LxMad
1. Ghost Ship: Prologue

This story is set after Noll and Lin return to Japan. It's been on my mind for awhile and then I thought, Noll's parents undoubtedly want to meet the girl that helped him find Gene's body, right? So why not...well...you'll see what I'm talking about. So read and review. And though he isn't in this chapter, beware a meddlesome brother that thinks his younger brother should get a move on. Ah, a mischevious Gene...how great! R&R and let me know what you think. This will be my first chapter fic of 2008!

* * *

"Taniyama-san?" the brown-haired assistant looked up curiously at the sound of her name. She was surprised to see Lin-san standing in his doorway looking at her. She began to stand up but stopped as he held his hand out and she looked at him curiously as she waited for him to continue.

"Madoka is a bringing a good friend of hers into the office. A new client, if you will. I'm giving you fair warning. This case will be in England. Why Noll's father can't investigate, I do not know. But we both know that Noll will be roped into this if Madoka can manage it." Lin told her and Mai giggled softly before she straightened up completely from the crouched position she had been frozen in.

"I see. So I should be prepared for iceberg Naru, eh?" she asked and Lin just chuckled before nodding. Mai rolled her eyes before she pushed her seat in and started for the kitchen.

"Would you like some tea, Lin-san? I think I'll make some for Naru as well considering he'll be in a better mood than normal. Especially if I get it to him..._before_ Madoka and her friend comes." Mai said cheerfully. Lin just nodded before he retreated back into his office.

While the idea was good he couldn't help but think Naru was going to be...not pleased at the tactics his parents were using to get him back home. And to meet Mai apparently. And she had no idea Madoka would insist she travel to England as well to help with the case. Lin sighed. Why was Madoka _always_ involving _him_ in her shenanigans?

'Because she knows you can't refuse her puppy dog voice or face for that matter.' he told himself. He began to brace himself for the angry that would come later that night, after all he was the one that had to share that blasted hotel room with Naru.

* * *

"Taniyama-san!!" sang a voice as Mai set the tea down on Naru's desk. She winced as she saw Naru's eyes narrow at the voice. There went any hope of telling the young man about his..._visitors_.

"Mai..." he bit out in a low warning. She gave a bright smile before grabbing his arm, causing his eyes to widen slightly, before using all of her to pull him out of the office. Madoka stood there hanging her coat up along with the young woman's coat that was standing beside her.

"Oh, and you've dragged Noll out of the deep recesses of that thing he calls an office, excellent, excellent." Madoka said pleased. She disappeared into Lin's office and a moment later the taller man had joined them. Naru had sat down in his chair while Mai retrieved his tea and went to get two more cups for their visitors, Lin had declined.

"Noll, Lin-san, Mai-chan, this is my best friend, Antoinette, from college." Madoka introduced the black headed woman sitting next to her. "She is also our next client! The site: a haunted showboat. The location: London, England!" Madoka said brightly.

Mai felt the atmosphere drop considerably. She peeked at Naru and winced at the withering glare he was giving Madoka. The cheerful woman just smiled at him before reaching over and patting him on the hand. Mai swore that the temperature dropped even more than before.

"And you have no _choice_, Noll. Martin and Luella's orders. You _have_ to take the case. Like it or not." Madoka sang. Mai saw the glare that the woman was giving Naru even though she seemed to be smiling.

'Now I know where he learned to be that evil.' Mai learned with a wince. Madoka was good at wrapping Naru around her finger. Even now Mai could see that Naru was accepting the face. Though the scowl on his face clearly said that he didn't like it at all. So Mai decided to jump in and try to defuse the situation. Who knew? Maybe the case would be interesting enough that he would forget that he was being forced to take it!

"Miss..." Mai trailed off as she looked at Antoinette, thinking it would be rather rude if she just called her by her first name. It just wasn't polite in Japanese society.

"Johnston, Taniyama-san." Antoinette supplied with a gentle smile and Mai returned it.

"Miss Johnston...what exactly have you been experiencing on the...ship?" Mai asked. She wasn't exactly sure if that was Madoka had said. But from the smile that Antoinette was giving her she realized that she had been right.

"Many years ago, my family did many tours around the English peninsula on the boat. However, about seventy years ago, for some reason my great-grandfather put a stop to the shows. None of our family knows the reason why.

"My sister and I are trying to restore the ship so that we can resume the tours. We've got most of the boat done, however...we've had to put a stop to it. Tools go missing, our workers become ill for no reason. The wiring doesn't work even though all tests tell us that there's power in the wiring.

"And then...there's the 'Lady'. Whenever she shows up someone gets hurt. And not just bruises but serious damage. One of our major decorators is still in a coma because a ladder fell on her. People have also called me and told me that the boat's motor is running and there looks like there is a party going on.

"But...the motor in the boat...is nearly one hundred and twenty years old. We've tried to turn it one before. It won't turn on." Antoinette said. Mai felt her eyebrows shoot up in obvious surprise. She couldn't believe that a boat could be so haunted before.

"If there's no power on the boat then we can't power the necessary equipment. Therefore we cannot investigate." Naru said and Mai rolled her eyes. He was still trying to get out of it. No doubt because of the fact that his parents had gave him no other option than to take the case.

"That's why there are such things as power supplies that last for days, even months. But I must say..._nice try_." Madoka said with a bright smile that caused Naru to glare at her before Madoka turned on Mai. Mai felt her stomach drop. What did Madoka want from her?

"And you have been ordered by the Daviess to come as well. They're absolutely dying to meet you." Madoka said brightly. Mai's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she tried to think of an excuse. Until she felt a glare on her back.

She looked at Naru and winced at the glare that he was giving her. It clearly said '_If I have to suffer, so do you._' Mai turned to Madoka and gave a small wince before she sighed.

"I'm really horrid at English, Madoka." Mai tried to get out of going. She felt Naru's glare intensify on her shoulder. She ignored it. She saw that Madoka was looking at her with the same look that she had been giving Naru only a few moments earlier.

"Lin and I can teach you on the plane ride along with Noll. The plane leaves in four days. I've already contacted the rest of the SPR Irregulars. Yasuhara was the one that made the plane reservations. Everyone will be coming to help investigate. So like Noll...you really have no choice." Madoka said. Mai sighed in defeat before finally agreeing.

After hours of discussing it was arranged that they would meet at the SPR offices at five am four days later. They would then travel to the airport, meet the rest of their group, and head for England. Mai could already feel the headache she would have for getting up so early. She realized that she really was to dedicated to her job.

* * *

Oh, I wonder how this will turn out. Hm...I wonder what will happen now. And how will Mai get along with Noll's parents? And will Noll let Madoka live? Wait for the next chapter. And review!


	2. Ghost Ship: Chapter 1

Mai wondered if England was able to do anything except rain. As she looked out the doors of the airport she wasn't able to see anything else except the rain. She glanced over at Naru and Lin. Maybe there was another reason that they wore black. If she had to live in that atmosphere she would probably be so depressed that she would be wearing black all the time as well.

She gave a soft sigh before turning her attention to where Madoka and the others were standing. She was unsurprised to find that her boss and his assistant had isolated themselves from the rest of the group. Mai walked over to her friends as Antoinette closed her cell phone.

"That was my sister. She's on a business trip in Dublin right now. She can't come and meet you until tomorrow. So you can rest and unpack and I'll call you later, Madoka." Antoinette said before she bowed and left the rest of them standing there. Madoka looked at Yasuhara who pulled a folder out.

"I've made reservations at a hotel not far from the docks. So we should search for a taxi now that we have our luggage." he said. Mai was about to follow before Madoka grabbed her arm and she looked at the woman curiously. Madoka shook her head.

"The Daviess have insisted that you stay with them while we work on this case and they wouldn't hear of letting you stay in a hotel." Madoka said brightly. Mai looked at Naru's face and saw that he hadn't known of the development either.

"I couldn't possibly. I mean, I can meet them during the visit. But I can't impose...I mean really." Mai's argument was getting feeble as Madoka dragged her out into the rain. Naru scowled before grabbing Mai's rolling suitcase and following Lin to where the car his father had sent was waiting.

"Did you know of this, Lin?" Naru asked and Lin shook his head. He truly hadn't known that Martin and Luella were demanding that Mai stay with them. He just had to wonder what exactly they had in mind. They knew, he was sure, of the reason that Naru had demanded to return to Japan. It was only right that they would want to meet the reason.

"Although, I must say that you should have seen this coming the moment you demanded that you be allowed to return to Japan." Lin said and Naru scowled before he climbed into the backseat with Mai and Madoka. He somehow had a feeling that Madoka was behind all of this. Every last bit. Including the bit about his parents blackmailing him into taking a case just so that he would bring Mai with him so that they could meet her.

'Yes, he is right. I should have realized that they would pull this.' he told himself as he let his head fall back.

* * *

"This is where you grew up?!" Mai couldn't help but explain as they rode up to what looked like a mansion. Naru held in a sigh. Yes, this was where he grew up. Wasn't that obvious?

"Yes, Mai." he replied. He didn't feel like egging her on. After all he had to face his parents in a little under five minutes. He needed to prepare himself to be in that frame of mind. The frame of mind that would keep him from snapping at his parents for forcing him to come to England. Not to mention to drag Mai along with him.

"This is where Noll and Gene grew up, Mai. I remember that they were extremely good at playing hide-and-seek when they were younger." Madoka said as she gave Naru a glare. He didn't bother with a reply. He didn't come to England to relive his past.

"Oh, really?" Mai said interestedly before the car pulled to as top. They waited for a moment before Lin opened the door and they were dashing out of the car and to the porch that was at the front door. Mai shook her short hair causing water to spray everywhere. Though the other three were doing the same thing in hopes to dry their hair from the rain.

"They should be waiting on us." Madoka said. Mai blinked as the girl opened the door and walked in without invitation. Mai looked at Lin who tilted his head and she followed Madoka into the large hallway. She felt her eyes pop out of her head. The biggest house that she had been in had nothing on this house.

"Mai, Lin, Noll, get your butts in here!" Madoka's voice called. Naru rolled his eyes before motion for Mai to follow him. She did and felt her heart to start to pound in nervousness. She was about to meet Naru's parents. And she was soaking wet. She felt like a soaking puppy and as though she had been left out in the rain.

She found herself in a library and she saw two adults that she didn't recognize at all. Although she instantly realized who they were. The woman's light brown hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. Her face had wrinkles around her eyes and mouth that clearly said that she was used to smiling all the time. There was a man with grey hair standing beside her and he had glasses on and Mai gave her best smile.

"Martin, Luella, this Mai Taniyama. Mai, these are Noll's parents, Martin and Luella. Martin will be helping us with some of the case details. He knows Antoinette's parents rather well. That's how I met her." Madoka said and Mai smiled brightly.

"It's nice to meet you!" she said with a bright smile. Lin and Madoka had taught her the whole plane ride how to speak English. It was hard, she had to admit that. She thought she sounded rather good. That and the fact that Naru had made fun of her attempts the entire ride. That had to mean something, right?

"And it's nice to finally meet you, Miss Taniyama. Madoka has told us so much about you. I'm the Head of the Research at the offices. If you need anything and Madoka or Yasuhara isn't around, call the centre and ask me. I'll make sure to get the information for you. It shouldn't be to hard considering Antoinette's father was one of my students at the high school when I was teaching." Luella said with a smile. Martin rolled his eyes before winking Mai.

"Because she was a teacher before she came to the centre she was always pushing the boys to get a good education. She didn't expect Noll there to get his doctorate at the age of fifteen. Youngest person to get a doctorate in England." Martin said proudly and Naru cleared his throat.

"Father, mother, as much as I wish to catch up with and talk about this..._visit_...I believe that Taniyama-san and Lin-san undoubtedly have jetlag as do I." Naru said and Mai held in a breath of relief as Luella stood up and motioned for her to follow.

"I apologize for Noll's behavior. He's always so grouchy when his father and I make him do something. I'm sure that you know very well that he's strong-headed. Much like Gene was. Gene would always do what we asked unless he didn't want to.

"Which wasn't often. But when that stubbornness flared up...let's just say that he was so much like Noll that one could see the relation based on more than just looks." Luella told Mai as she stopped at the bedroom door and opened it for Mai.

"I suppose it's a relief that I'm not the only one that he treats like that. Although it doesn't seem right for him to treat you like that." Mai said as she swung her suitcase up on the bed. Luella laughed as she went over to the closet and began to help Mai unpack.

"He wasn't always like that. At one point he was like Gene until...well...you know the story. But still...I think that it's hard for Noll to accept the fact that his brother passed away. I did notice, however, that after his father and I gave in to let him to return to Japan...that he seemed much more content. I have a feeling it has partly to do with you." Luella suggested.

Mai's cheeks flared bright red. She kept silent as she tried to think through what Luella had told her. There was no way that she could affect Naru like that. He was to self absorbed in his own little world. Besides he barely knew she even existed half the time.

"Luella, he barely knows I exist. Except that he really seems to like my tea. But besides that I'm just a burden. A burden that I think he would be happier without me around." Mai whispered as she sat down on the bed and twisted her slightly damp skirt in her hands.

Luella smiled before she reached out and patted the girl on the head. She gave the younger girl a gentle smile. She left the room and Mai sighed before she unpacked the rest of her clothes and changed into dry pajamas. She pulled the covers back and crawled into the bed. Within moments she was sound asleep.

* * *

Mai woke up breathing hard although she wasn't sure why. She s at up and felt her forehead where sweat was gathering. She didn't know why. She pushed her blankets back and climbed out of the bed. She pulled her hair back with a clip and went over to sit in the chair that was beside the large window in her office.

She could still hear the rain hitting the window hard. She looked out onto the grounds and gave a soft sigh. She shivered as something went down her spine. She couldn't remember the nightmare that had woken her but she had a feeling it was horrible and for some reason she had a feeling it had something to do with the case. And that scared her. If something was that serious...then it had to mean something. Right?

Mai gave a soft sigh before she stood, turned the lights off, and climbed back into her bed. She couldn't help but realize that this was where Gene and Naru had grown up. This was where they had spend most of their life. She gave a soft sigh and curled up underneath the cover and wrapped her arms around one of her pillows.

'What if this case is more dangerous than everyone thinks? How am I supposed to tell everyone. I mean...Naru would trust me if I had an _actual_ dream. But I didn't even have that. Where's Gene at anyway?' Mai thought before her eyes slipped close. She didn't notice the slight glittering in her room before disappearing.

* * *

"How was your night?" Madoka asked brightly as Mai walked into the kitchen and she felt her eyes widen. What was Madoka still doing here?

"How come you're still there? I thought you lived in an apartment in London." Mai said confusedly.

"The rain was too heavy for the Daviess' driver to take me home. My car is at the parking garage so I couldn't go home. I sometimes spend the night here anyway." Mai noticed that Madoka's cheeks were flushed slightly as she bustled around the kitchen preparing to make breakfast. Mai felt a smile spread across her face as she realized why.

"Is it because you're visiting Lin-san all those times?" Mai asked curiously and she saw Madoka's face flare up. She smiled as she realized that she had hit the nail on the head. She looked up as she heard footsteps and saw that it was Lin. She gave him a bright smile before she turned back to Madoka.

"Where's the bathroom so I can clean up before we go to meet the others?" Mai asked cheerfully. Madoka smiled back at her with the same cheerfulness.

"The closest one to your room is right beside it. Breakfast should be ready in about an hour, alright?" Madoka said. Mai nodded before she left the kitchen to leave the two adults alone.

"What's with that grin?" Lin asked as he sat down at the table and she sat a cup of coffee in front of him. She just shrugged before she reached out and grasped the hand that wasn't cradling the cup of coffee. His fingers wrapped around her hand and she smiled at him.

"I'm just glad you're back. I missed you." she whispered softly. Lin's lips turned up slightly in an unusual show of pleasure. She returned it before she stood up and resumed making breakfast for the rest of the occupants in the Davis house. It made her feel as though she was doing something in return.

"Don't fix too much...the last time you cooked I think Noll and Gene were living off roast beef for three months." Lin said. Madoka giggled as she rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"Sorry...I grew up in a big family." Madoka defended herself. But thankfully she heeded Lin's warning. Although her dishes covered the kitchen counter it didn't seem like there was enough to her. Of course when she peered at Lin she saw that he was trying to not wince.

"And you disregard all my advice." he laughed and she shrugged. She looked up as Mai entered with Luella close behind. She saw Luella's eyebrows raise before she laughed loudly.

"I should have known this was going to happen if I didn't get up early enough." Luella joked. The other two men of the house slowly entered the house. Mai bit her lip at the angry look that was on her boss's face. She knew it had to do with the early hour. Madoka had told Antoinette that they would meet her at the boat at 9 o'clock that morning. Apparently neither Naru nor Martin, who was insisting on going, were morning people.

"Coffee, Martin?" Madoka asked in a friendly voice and Martin looked at her with half-opened eyes.

"Did you make it?" he asked and she nodded with a bright smile. "Then give me a big cup of it."

"Madoka's coffee...seems to wake these two up better than anyone else's coffee. I think she adds even more caffeine to the liquid than before." Luella said as she began to pile food on her own plate. Mai giggled even though she felt Naru's glare on her body. She could just see her day ahead. He would be extremely grouchy and cold that day and Mai knew she would need to be prepared.

'This will be fun, won't it?' Mai thought with a smile on her face and from the look on Naru's face, he wasn't pleased with the smile that was on her face.

* * *

When Martin helped Mai out of the van that they had stopped to get she was positive that she would never ride in a vehicle that Naru drove again. She gave a soft sigh an had to resist the urge to kiss the ground that she was standing on. She went to the back of the van and took one of the boxes that Lin handed her.

"Antoinette is waiting to show us where she had the base set up. Follow me, Mai." Madoka said and Mai did follow her onto the boat. She felt her stomach turn as the boat was moving slightly with the water. She followed Madoka and Antoinette to what looked like a ballroom in the boat. Mai set the box down on one of the long tables that were set up.

"This was the only room we could ever get the electricity turned on in. I had to turn it on this morning but the voltage may not be up to complete standards to run the monitors. But it should be up and on target by lunch time." Antoinette said with a friendly voice.

"Well, I'll start setting cameras up before Naru snaps at me. Could you show me to the places that you're experiencing the most paranormal activity?" Mai asked as she pulled out one of the cameras and the battery that went with it. Antoinette smiled and nodded.

"Sure, the most active place would have to be in the lower decks where some of the guests would stay during the tour. It's mostly where the smaller rooms are located." Antoinette said as she showed Mai where the steps were. The schoolgirl followed her down to the lower level and into the lowest deck.

"This is where a lot of the accidents happened. It's bad enough that it has little to no electricity. My workers have been scared away because of this corridor. This is also where they see the 'Lady'." Antoinette said. Mai felt a chill go down her spine as they stood in the hallway.

"Could you turn your flashlight on and shine it over here?" Mai asked. The slightly older woman did as she was asked and shone the light on the box that Mai was pulling the camera out of.

"Where does the 'Lady' usually show up?" Mai asked and Antoinette frowned as she thought.

"From what workers have told me...she appears down there, by the other set of steps that leads up to the captain's quarters. There's a door down there but no one can find the key. My sister mentioned on the phone that she thought she knew one last place to look but her trip has been delayed even further.

"She's a doctor up in Dublin and a lady went into labor early and she's slightly worried about it. She said she should be back in about two days." Antoinette said with a kind smile and Mai nodded.

Mai set the camera up and turned it on. She moved it back and forth a few times before stopping the movement and locking the camera on the end of the hallway that Antoinette had motioned towards her.

"The camera is locked and there should be no movement of the camera or area." Mai said so the camera would record it. She smiled at Antoinette and the older woman rolled her eyes.

"Would you like to see the engine that keeps turning itself on and off?" Antoinette asked and Mai nodded. She pulled one of the thermometers that she had managed to snatch with the box.

"I'll record the temperature down there to see if there's anything interesting. Noll doesn't want to set a camera up down there...probably because he's afraid that it might get wet." Mai said as she followed Madoka's friend down into the lowest deck.

In the middle of the floor there was what looked like a huge furnace and sitting beside it was a pump. Mai looked at Antoinette in curiosity and the woman smiled at her before shining her flashlight around to the generator that was giving them what little electricity that they had.

"It's a steamboat, or at least it was. We haven't removed the older parts that ran the boat as you can see. My great-grandfather put the engine in here. It's over there. Would you like to see what it does when you try to turn it on?" Antoinette shone her flashlight on what looked like a huge engine that wouldn't be able to move a car, let alone a boat.

"Sure." Mai agreed. Antoinette tried to turn the motor on three times but the only reaction sound she could get was a coughing sound. Almost like the motor had given up a long time ago.

"Doesn't sound to good does it? Let's get out of here. This place has always given me the creeps." Antoinette said. Mai turned towards the door before it suddenly slammed shut and she frowned. She reached out and found that the door was locked. She didn't have time to think about it as Antoinette suddenly gasped in horror. Mai whirled around and felt all the color drain from her face.

Standing in one of the corners of the room was a white figure in a flowing gown that touched the ground. Mai couldn't make out anything except the red eyes that were staring at her with malice and hatred. Mai felt a cold chill down her spine before water began rushing in and she shared a look with Antoinette before she turned to the door and began pounding as loudly as she could.

"MADOKA!! NARU!! LIN, ANYONE!!" she screamed as she felt the water rising past her ankle and up to her knees. She jumped as it reached her thighs and she looked at Antoinette and saw that the girl was trying to get to her. Mai turned her attention back to the door.

"HELP!!" the last thing she heard, before she felt Gene tugging on her conscious, was the rattling of the door knob and a familiar voice, panicked, telling her to move away from the door. Everything went black as the water went over her head.

* * *

Okay, so here it is finally...the second chp. of Ghost Ship! I got a great response the last time, I was very surprised. So please keep the reviews coming. How else amd I supposed to know if you're enjoying the story or not? Peace. Kieno0324 


	3. Ghost Ship: Chapter 2

Haven't done this yet, but I don't own Ghost Hunt. Read the AN at the end. If you don't, please read and review!!

* * *

Eugene Davis never was one to be startled. He decided that he must have gotten it from having to live with his brother. That boy could make even the most stoic of people be startled, if they truly knew him that was. And he didn't allow many people to know the true him. Although sometimes they forced their way into his heart.

Gene had known that his parents had tricked his brother in returning to England, he had to give them some credit. It was a good idea to send Madoka, of all people, to retrieve the wayward teen. Although Gene would have, if he'd had any say in it, tried to get Mai to do it. All she would have had to do was to ask to go to England. Gene had realized early on that Noll had a great problem in refusing the girl anything.

Gene looked around in curiosity as his surroundings began to take form and shape around him. He had expected a deep sleep after his visit to Mai in the real world. It had been a moment of no decision. He hadn't really made the conscious decision to see her until he had felt her fear from her nightmare and had found himself standing in the guest room of his former house. She had looked so scared and alone. He had wished, not for the first time, that he was alive to comfort her.

His stomach did a turn as he saw that he was standing on the deck of a ship. He had never been fond of ships. He had never been fond of water, period. Especially since Naru had thought it would be funny to push him into the pool at the age of ten when Gene had never had learned how to swim.

Gene shook his head before Mai appeared on the deck looking unconscious. He bent over and looked at her sleeping face. He watched as her nose twitched before her eyes opened slowly. He gave her his smile and he saw dawning instantly fill her eyes before she sat up and almost tackled him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"GENE!!" she cried out in joy before pulling away and looking at him with those bright eyes that could only belong to her. He felt his smile widen in pleasant surprise at her smile.

"It's good to see you again, Gene. How have you been?" she asked cheerfully and he couldn't hold the laugh in before he answered.

"I'm alright. It's much easier to communicate with you when you're in England, I have to admit that." he told her and she giggled before suddenly the boat lurched and he gave a groan and she looked at him curiously.

"Don't you like boats, Gene?" she asked curiously as she realized that he didn't have the most pleasant expression as he looked at the railing on the boat.

"No, I despise boats and anything else that has to do with water. I haven't had pleasant experiences with water." he told her and she nodded.

"That sounds like my experience with Naru's driving this morning. I didn't think we were going to make it to the docks in one piece, let alone alive." she told him. She watched his eyes widen in obvious surprise.

"You got in a vehicle with Noll? I know I've heard that loyalty is in strange places but that was suicidal." he told her. She laughed before their attention was drawn to the middle of the deck. There was that woman that had been glaring at her but she was with someone else.

"Gene, do you know who they are?" she asked him and he shook his head before he felt the connection he had with Noll being pulled. Apparently his brother was impatient to have Mai back.

"Not yet. I'll try to find out some information. But you better wake up, that idiot scientist is already pulling on my connection with him. I think I'll make it my goal before I cross over to do something really evil to him." Gene said. Mai giggled as she began to fade away and he smiled at her, sad to see her go so soon.

"You'll never be evil." she told him before disappearing completely. He felt sleep tugging at him and before he knew what was happening he was back in the dark place that really gave him no rest but gave him the chance to gather useful information.

* * *

Mai's eyes snapped open to be met by blue eyes. She instantly knew who they belonged to but before she could say anything she began coughing and with the coughing water came out.

"Alright, Mai. Try to breath slowly." Ayako's voice said from somewhere to her left. She gave a soft groan before focusing on her breathing. She pushed herself upright as Naru moved away and she looked around the base. Antoinette was sitting in one of the chairs with Yasuhara's coat around her shoulders. Mai then realized that she was soaking wet and she sent a questioning glance at Naru and he rolled his eyes.

"Lin heard you pounding on the door. You're ability to get locked in rooms is incomprehensible." he told her and she scowled at him before a feminine voice cut in and she was surprised to see Luella sitting in front of the monitors with a scowl on her face.

"Oliver Michael Davis, I taught you your manners, use them! I'm sorry, Mai-chan. As my son said, Lin heard you pounding on the door and by the time he got there, you and Antoinette looked like you had drowned. Thankfully Madoka knows CPR, as does that ice cube of a son that I have." Luella said in a much more pleasant tone than she had when she started speaking.

"Oh…" Mai glanced at Naru and saw that he didn't look happy over the fact that he had just been scolded by his mother. Then she realized what he was doing and she bit her lip in an attempt to not laugh. The almighty Oliver Davis was pouting because had just been scolded by his mother. Over a girl no less!

"We finished setting the cameras up for you, Mai. Would you like to come with me and check the temperatures?" Madoka asked kindly. Mai nodded before pushing herself up completely, deciding that when she could get just Naru, Lin, and Madoka together that she would tell them about seeing Gene. She was sure about how Gene's parents would react to the dreams and she didn't want them to get their hopes up.

"You talked to Gene, didn't you?" Madoka whispered as they made their way to the first deck hallway. Mai nodded as she took the thermometer and entered one of the rooms with Madoka following behind toe record the temperature.

"He said that he was going to try to get some more information. I wasn't able to find anything else out because he had to send me back. He said that Naru was getting impatient and wouldn't leave him alone." Mai told the older woman and Madoka laughed before nodding.

"That explains the agitated look he had on his face the entire time that you were out." Madoka laughed. Mai joined in before she showed the readings to Madoka and she jotted them down before suddenly the thermometer started beeping and Mai looked at the screen and felt her eyes widen.

"There's a ten degree drop!" she cried. Madoka grabbed Mai's wrist and dragged her out of the room and pulled the door closed.

"Let's try to avoid a repeat performance, shall we?" Madoka asked cheerfully. Mai nodded before she noticed a glint from Madoka's left hand. She grabbed the woman's hand and brought up to eye level for inspection. Her eyes went wide as she came face to face with a diamond ring.

"Um…Mai…" Madoka watched as Mai looked at her with a look of glee. Madoka had to hold in a groan. This was payback for all the times when she had blackmailed Lin into carrying her books in high school. She just knew it.

"When did he ask?!" Mai demanded. The task at hand didn't matter right now as far as she was concerned. Being nosy seemed much more appropriate.

"On the plane. We want to wait until after the case is solved before we announce it, okay?" Madoka asked. Mai nodded before she dropped the older woman's hand and engulfing her in a hug.

"Congratulations, I'm so happy for you." Mai said before pulling away. She gave Madoka another bright smile. "I promise I won't tell anyone unless you or Lin-san give me permission."

"Alright, thank you. Let's get the rest of these reading before that brat throws a royal fit. And I mean a _royal_ fit." Madoka said before leading Mai into another room. Mai couldn't stop smiling at the thought that would be a wedding soon.

* * *

Naru was glaring at his book. He wasn't comprehending what he was attempting to read and it had everything to do with what his mother had said after Madoka and Mai had left to go gather the temperatures of the rooms.

"_She's such a cute girl! I'm sure she'll make some guy very happy!_" Naru snapped his book shut. What was his mother playing at anyway? She had no idea what she was talking about. Mai wasn't _allowed_ to have a guy when she was working for _him_.

"And he's still pouting." Madoka said cheerfully as they entered the room and he glared at her for all he was worth. He stood up and went over to Mai and she squeaked as he held his hand out. She handed him the notebook and watched as he whirled around and reclaimed his seat that he had just vacated seconds before.

'He's in a foul mood.' Mai thought sadly before she went over and sat down beside Takigawa who immediately hugged her and she laughed before pushing him off of her.

"Hara-san, have you felt anything?" Naru asked the medium. She stayed silent for a moment before replying.

"Yes. There's something here that isn't happy about us being here. I believe that it knows that it isn't dead but at the same time believes that this ship belongs to it. It's upset that Miss Johnston is trying to restore the boat." Masako finally said before putting her hand to her head.

"There's another spirit here but I can't decipher what it wants or if it even knows that it's dead. I'll need more time, Naru." she told him. He nodded and Mai felt a frown spread across her face. If she had said that he would be down her throat telling her to try harder.

"This notation about the temperature drop in Cabin 2-E…do we have a camera in there?" Naru asked Madoka and she shook her head.

"I can go get another one from the Centre if need be." she told him and he nodded before turning to his mother and she looked at him curiously. This was going to be hard taking orders from her son. Although she supposed she could always show Mai his embarrassing pictures if things got to out of hand.

"Mother, we'll need to know all the owners of this ship, even who built it. You need to go find the records to help this case along." he told her. She nodded before getting up and leaving. "Yasuhara, please go with her. I need all blue prints of this boat and see what was where in the original structure." Yasuhara nodded and followed Luella out of the ballroom.

"I'll go get the other camera. I'm taking Mai with me, she needs to see where we'll be taking our information for further analysis." Madoka said as she stood up and Mai quickly followed. She froze at the glare that Naru was giving Madoka.

"She's my assistant, Madoka. I think I'll tell her what to do when on a case." Naru said coolly and Mai bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Fine. She can stay here then. But I'm taking Lin in exchange." before either of the two men could protest she already had Lin by the arm and dragged out of the room with Antoinette following.

"Matsuzaki-san, accompany Hara-san on a walkthrough of the ship. Takigawa-san and Brown-san, search the officer's quarters." Naru ordered and the group was up and gone within moments. They weren't arguing with the cold tone that was in Naru's voice. Mai suddenly realized that she was alone with Naru and she gave a small groan. Only this would happen to her. Being stuck in the same room with the guy that she was in love with. Only the guy refused to believe it because he thought she was in love with his dead brother!

"Mai…" he looked at her and she resisted rolling her eyes at the narcissistic boy wonder.

"Tea. Yeah, I know." she climbed from her seat. She froze as she passed the monitors and stared at the one that was set up in the hallway that she and Antoinette had set up.

"Hey, Naru, look at this." she told him. She heard him sigh before she felt his presence beside her. She heard him inhale sharply at the foggy quality of the lens before he reached out and switched it to thermal. Mai jerked back and felt Naru's steadying arm around her waist.

On the screen it showed the hallway. Full of blue figures that were dancing and talking and conversing. Mai felt fear shoot down her spine before Naru picked up a walkie-talkie and called Ayako and Masako.

"Go down to the last hallway with cabins. Mai and I are looking at the camera she set up and it's showing a fluctuation of paranormal activity. See if you can get a reading, Hara-san." Naru ordered. Ayako sent an affirmative before Naru turned to Mai and she sighed before going back to her tea before a thought occurred to her and she turned back to him as she waited for the water boil.

"Hey, Naru." she said conversationally. She saw him look up from where he had reclaimed his seat and waited for her to speak. "How many times did you fail your driver's test?"

He blinked before frowning. "Why are you asking such a stupid question?"

"Oh, Gene just said it was suicidal to get in a vehicle with you and refrain from doing so anymore." she said brightly as she turned back to the coffee. She knew she wasn't supposed to hear his mumbled reply but she did.

"Who's he to be talking? _He_ almost failed second grade." he grumbled. Mai felt a smile spread across her face. There was no doubt in her mind that they were brothers, whether they looked alike or not. She just hated the fact that they picked on each other through her.

* * *

Okay, for one thing I don't know if that's Naru's middle name. I don't know if he _has_ a middle name, but I thought it fit. I hope you like this chapter! Please review, they make me happy! 


	4. Ghost Ship: Chapter 3

Okay, here's chapter 4. Read AN at the end for a revelation that I think I made.

* * *

Mai could've sworn that Naru was the best person to give the cold shoulder that she had ever met. The fact that he could make the temperature drop without even trying probably made it all the worse. She gave a soft sigh before turning her attention back to the screens. After she had teased him on behalf of Gene he had been pouting. And she had no one to talk to and get a reply, even if it was an insult.

She felt a shiver go down his spine. She looked over her shoulder and she felt her eyes widen. Standing in the middle of the room was the woman from before.

"N-Naru…" Mai stammered as Naru stood up and pulled her out of her seat. She felt her heart beating loudly as he moved her away from the monitors and into a corner with his body shielding her from the ghost's red eyes.

"Mai, what did she do last time?" he asked. He wasn't looking at her she realized but at the ghost. She felt her body shaking before she locked eyes with the ghost and she felt her body freeze. "Mai?"

"H-Her…eyes…" she whispered before suddenly Naru pulled her away from the wall. She screamed as a table crashed into the wall where they were standing. She looked at the splintered remains of the table as her body began shaking again before the door burst open and she looked up. Lin and Madoka dashed in, carrying a camera, and were looking at the two teenagers worriedly.

"What happened?!" Madoka cried as she made her way over to the two. Naru barely turned around in time to catch Mai as her legs gave beneath her. She gave a soft sob as he set her down in one of the nearby chairs. She felt the sobs in her throat but they just wouldn't come out.

"We met the resident 'Lady'. She gave us a rather…_warm_ welcome." Naru told them as he studied Mai as she sat there not saying anything. He frowned. Why was she reacting like this? She'd already seen the apparition, or so Antoinette had said. He reached out and shook her shoulder and she looked up at him wide eyed.

"Oh, tea, right?" she stood up from her chair and stumbled to the small kitchen that they had set up to make tea and sandwiches. She realized her hands were shaking and she clutched her skirt as she waited for the water to boil so that she could add the tea. She looked over her shoulder as she felt someone squeeze her shoulder. Madoka was looking at her worried.

"Mai, are you alright? You're shaking like a leaf." she said. Mai managed to give a shaky smile and a small nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little shaken. I mean…this has to be a record. A ghost hasn't tried to kill me twice in a day before." Mai whispered. Madoka wrapped her arm around Mai's shoulder. Mai laid her head down on the older woman's shoulder and felt the comfort of the woman's arm.

"There's the whistle. I'm going to help Lin set the camera up." Madoka said. Mai managed a nod before she began to prepare the tea with a much steadier hand. She took the teacup and poured the liquid inside. She made her way over to Naru and he took it from her and she gave him a shaky smile.

"Hey, Naru!" Mai turned around to see Ayako and Masako returning. And from the pale quality of Masako's face she had seen the ghosts.

"There's been so many deaths on this boat. And they are all trying to communicate with me. But it's just a jumble of words. I do know that this could be like the Morishita case." Masako whispered and Mai nodded. She could see that. Especially with the female ghost that kept showing up and trying to kill them.

"I believe it might be a good idea for everyone to exercise in different parts of the boat." Ayako suggested and Naru thought for a moment before nodding.

"Yes. When Brown-san and Takigawa-san, you will need to prepare." Naru said finally. Ayako nodded as they waited for the other two to show up so that they could get the show on the road.

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" Madoka asked over the microphone. She looked around and saw Lin sitting in a chair nearby. Naru had told them that he was taking Mai to Gene's grave during the exorcism. Everyone knew that it was more than just a visit to the older boy's grave. It was an attempt to get Mai away from the boat. Antoinette had taken Masako to the hotel so that the medium wouldn't have to watch. 

"Let's do this." Ayako said. Madoka turned the mike off and took a step back. She watched as they each began their own version of an exorcism. Madoka watched them as they continued. Suddenly the boat gave a lurch and she stumbled forward. She felt Lin by her side and she looked at him curiously as he watched the screens.

"The spirits are getting agitated." Madoka whispered. Lin nodded in agreement as the boat continued to lurch. Madoka grabbed onto the table that the monitors were on. She felt her stomach doing turns. She had never been really good with moving boats at all.

"_Leave me alone!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!_" a voice wailed and Madoka looked over her shoulder for the source of the voice. There was nothing there before the boat gave another jerk and she would have stumbled headfirst into the monitors if Lin hadn't grabbed her arm.

"AHH!!" Madoka screamed as she felt something around her ankle and then she was pulled down on the floor and away from Lin. She cried out as she felt Lin grab her wrist and pulled her away from whatever had her ankle. She looked over her shoulder and saw that nothing was there.

"Are you alright, Madoka?" he asked and she managed to nod. She winced as she pulled her ankle up so that she could touch it. She looked at Lin with a wince before turning back to her quickly swelling ankle.

"I think my ankle is hurt." she whispered. "Here, help me up." she said and he stood up and held his hand out. She grabbed it and he pulled her up. She didn't last very long as her ankle gave beneath her weight and she fell right into Lin's arms.

"What's going on?" Takigawa's voice called over the communication speakers. Lin carried Madoka over to the chair and sat her down before going over to the microphone and pushing the button.

"The exorcisms is only agitating the spirits." Lin said. Soon after John stopped his and Ayako followed example. "You all need to get back to base, now." Lin ordered and he watched as each of them quickly left the room that they had been assigned. He turned back towards Madoka and knelt down in front of her. He saw her blush as he gently pulled his shoe off and prodded her swollen ankle. It didn't look worse than when she had broken her ankle earlier that year.

"You should be able to walk on it again in a few hours. It looks worse than it actually his." he told her and she just nodded with a smile on her face. She reached out and gently stroked his face and he reached up and took her hand and gave her that smile that he reserved for her.

"What happened?!" Ayako cried as she dashed into the room. Lin pulled away quickly and Madoka watched him out of the corner of her eye as the others made a big fuss over her because of the sprained ankle.

"It looks like the ghost isn't very picky about who it hurts as long as it hurts someone." Lin said. Ayako gave a soft sigh before she knelt down and looked at Madoka's ankle before nodding.

"Your ankle is sprained. Do you know where Antoinette keeps her first aide kit? I need to wrap this as soon as I can." Ayako said. Madoka nodded before she pointed to a box that was hanging on the wall. Ayako went over and got the first aide kit. A few moments later Madoka's ankle was wrapped tightly and she was limping around.

"We're back!!" Mai hopped into the room looking happy. Everyone smiled at the smile on her face. Naru followed her into the base looking slightly sour. Madoka laughed as she saw that Mai had a large stuffed bear under one arm and cotton candy in the other hand.

"There was a fair on the way back from visiting Gene. Luella and Martin insisted that we stop." Mai said brightly. Madoka felt a grin spread across her face as she looked at Naru. She saw his eyes widen slightly at her grin.

"Did you take Mai-chan to the fair, Noll?" she asked. He glared at her before stalking over to the monitors and sitting down. He opened the case folder and refused to say anything else. Mai giggle as she set the bear and her treat down.

"Thank you, Naru." she whispered to him. She saw him look at her before a gentle smile flitted across his face. She felt a blush spread across her face as the look disappeared and she turned away quickly so no one would see the blush that spread across her entire face.

'It must be because we're in England…right?!' she asked herself before suddenly she felt a tugging on the back of her mind as her eyes began to droop. 'Gene, you pick the worse times.' she thought as her head tilted back and she began to fall. She felt a warmth engulf before she felt into a deep sleep.

* * *

Mai found herself standing on the main deck of the boat once again and she turned to see Gene lounging on one of the lounge chairs. She sighed as she realized that he had sunglasses on and a smile on his face. 

"You're a nut." she told him as she approached him and he sat up. He chuckled before taking his sunglasses off and they disappeared. She rolled her eyes before she sat down beside him and glanced at his black attire.

"Don't you ever get tired of wearing black?" she asked and he shrugged.

"I can't say anything. It seems that whatever Noll wears I get stuck wearing because that's how you see him. And yes, it gets old. Tell that idiot scientist to get over it and start wearing something other than black. It's dull." Gene said and Mai giggled before the apparitions from before appeared and she looked at Gene curiously.

"I don't know who the main catalyst is but the two figures you see are the ones that had the boat commissioned to be made. They will be the farthest back that you can go unless you investigate the builder. His ghost isn't here, I've tried to contact him." Gene said and Mai nodded in understanding before looking at the woman who suddenly giggled.

"She looks like Antoinette. I guess that shouldn't be surprising considering the fact that she's her great-great grandmother." Mai said before she felt Gene touch her gently on the shoulder and she looked at him.

"There's something you should know about her. She committed suicide because she kept seeing the 'Lady' that everyone is talking about. I'm going to warn you as there is a couple that may have to go through this. She believed that her husband was in love with someone else after she gave birth to their son." he told her and Mai frowned at the cryptic warning.

"Gene, what's that supposed to mean?!" she cried and he gave her a gentle smile and she knew that she wasn't going to get anything else out of him.

"Keep your eyes open." he told her before she faded away, not understanding what was going on. He had to be the most annoying person on the planet. One minute he's open and free. The next he starts giving her veiled warnings.

'Wait a minute…the only couple there is…Lin and Madoka!!' Mai though before her consciousness drifted away from her and she fell into a normal sleep.

* * *

I was re-reading the Ghost Hunt manga and got to the part where Mai tells Lin off. Her words are "Don't hate me because I'm Japanese or female or an orphan." Lin then proceeds to say those the same words that somone else told him a long time ago. Now everyone thinks it was Gene who said them. But...if they were the exact same words...Gene couldn't have said them. He isn't female. I believe, and if I'm wrong please tell me, that Madoka said that to him. I'm sure Gene said something similar but not the exact same thing. Oh...remember to review! 


	5. Ghost Ship: Chapter 4

The name for the bear in this chapter comes from raijutei-no-babylon! Thank you! I loved that idea. And ahunmaster, one of your reviews gave me the idea for part of this chapter. So, you two, this chapter is dedicated to you!

* * *

"How often does she do this?" Martin Davis asked his son. Naru looked at his father before shrugging. He had never told his parents _exactly_ what Mai could do. He never really saw the need for it. After all, he had never thought that he would return to Japan and then be forced back to England with Mai in toll.

"She does this on every case. She has a spirit guide that helps her and I must say that they are very capable in helping us." Naru told his father. He saw the man give him a look. He ignored it.

"Martin, drop it. Noll has known Mai a lot longer than us. I'm sure he knows whether or not he can trust Mai's spirit guide. Drop it." Luella said with a smile. She went over and covered Mai with the blanket that Antoinette had found. The young girl had been placed on a cot and now covered by Luella. The older woman had also taken the bear over to the girl.

"Nolly…" the girl whispered as she wrapped her arms around the big blue bear. The bear that Noll had won for her. Luella bit her lip before looking over at her son and from the look on his face he had heard what she said.

"Aw…she named her bear after you. How cute!" Luella said brightly before looking up as Madoka and Lin entered the room. She raised an eyebrow as she saw that both their clothes looked ruffled. She turned her head so that she wouldn't stare.

"The temperatures in the rooms where the exorcisms were being performed were nearly twenty degrees lower than everywhere else on the boat." Madoka reported as she put the clipboard in front of Naru. He looked at the temperature readings. He sighed as he looked over his shoulder and at his young assistant.

She tightened her arms around the blue bear. He felt a scowl form before turning away from her again. He could just see Gene telling her that she needed to name her new friend after his brother. Naru growled softly as he flipped through the folder. He wouldn't admit it to himself but he _enjoyed_ the time he had spent with Mai at the fair with his parents. It had felt _right_.

He shook his head before looking up at his mother who had just cleared her throat. She was smiling at him before she picked up the folder that she had just put down with the information that she had found.

"Yasuhara-san is very good at collecting information. He is still at the library flirting with the librarian. But anyway, this boat was built in the 1900s. I tried to find who was commissioned to build it but I couldn't. Like I said, Yasuhara is trying to gain more information.

"Anyway, I did a background check on all the owners. Antoinette's great-great grandparents, the ones that commissioned for the boat to be built. This is where things get weird. The wife of each owner…was found dead two months after taking ownership of the boat. Odder still is that whenever the ship would make a trip, or prepare to make a trip, a woman would disappear. After three days she would be found dead. With no cause of death." Luella read before looking up at her son and husband.

"If that is the case then I would implore you and father to leave. You are the only couple and may be a target." Naru told his parents. He could see the stubbornness flare in his father's eyes. And people wondered how he could be so stubborn. He lived with the king of stubbornness.

"Martin, he's right. Besides, Noll is capable of handling things. He's done everything that we asked. It's time we do as he asks." Luella intervened. Naru gave her a grateful look as Martin gave in.

"So, now what do we need to do? If trying to exorcise the ghosts got that response then we shouldn't try again." Ayako said. Masako, who had returned and Antoinette was gone again. She had said that she had to go pick her sister up from the airport.

"The spirits are angry and they don't know why. The exorcisms hurt them. Something, whatever is controlling them, is angered. I believe…she's the oldest of all the ghosts. She must have been killed first. I have tried to contact her but she doesn't want to talk to me. All she wants to do is harm others." Masako whispered as she looked up at the others.

"It sounds like a curse was placed on the boat. Almost like it's trying to tear apart couples that are otherwise happy and content." Madoka said. She turned towards Mai as the girl gave a small sigh before she sat up and wiped her eyes. She gave a small groan before blinking her eyes and then smiling at everyone around her.

"Have you decided to finally rejoin us, Taniyama-san?" Naru asked coolly. Mai registered that he was talking to her. She growled before she smiled at Ayako who was standing beside her.

"Can I have a glass of water, Ayako?" she asked. The miko nodded before going to retrieve the requested drink. Mai stood up and went over to Naru and looked down at him. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. He was wondering what she wanted she knew.

"Gene is still trying to figure out what's going on. He's having trouble contacting the other spirits, I believe." Mai told him. He just nodded without answering. He felt Mai turn away and walk away. He let out a breath. He didn't know how to react when she told him things about the case that Gene had told her. It was easier to talk about his twin when it came to the teasing. Not when it came to the cases.

"What happened to your ankle, Madoka?!" Mai cried as she saw that the older woman was sitting in a chair with a wrapped ankle. Madoka gave her a gentle smile.

"Oh, nothing. Apparently the ghost doesn't like me very much either." Madoka said with a smile. Mai, being the observant person she is, noticed the look that Lin was giving the older woman. She gave a gentle smile as she realized that the man was worried about Madoka.

"As long as it didn't hurt you very much." Mai said brightly before she took the cup of water that Ayako gave her. She took a sip and out of the corner of her eye she saw Lin gently squeeze Madoka's shoulder before moving away. Mai resisted rolling her eyes at the couple.

'They should just go ahead an announce the engagement. I mean, no one is going to judge them.' Mai thought before shaking herself from her daydream, which included Naru in a tuxedo, as Naru demanded her attention.

"You need to watch the monitors while Lin and I go see what else Yasuhara has learned. Antoinette should be returning with her sister and some of the staff that have experienced paranormal activity. See if you can see any similarities between the victims. Madoka, help her." Naru ordered and Madoka scowled before finally nodding in agreement.

Soon Madoka and Mai were the only ones left. The rest were complaining that they still had jetlag and were tired. Mai looked at Madoka who was smiling as she watched the monitors.

"Traveling back and forth between Japan and England certainly does something to your sense of time." Madoka laughed. Mai giggled in response before she gave a soft sigh and looked at Madoka curiously.

"How come you and Lin-san are waiting until after the case to announce the engagement?" Mai asked. Madoka frowned before she smiled at Mai.

"I just think it will be easier to announce it after the case is solved. Besides we both have agreed that all the attention needs to be on this case. Antoinette is one of my best friends and she really deserves to have this case solved." Madoka said with a smile and Mai nodded. She bit her lip before turning her attention back to the monitors.

'Although that's a good reason…I just can't see Madoka actually wanting that, she just seems the type of person that would want to announce her engagement immediately to her loved ones. Could Lin-san be wanting to wait until after the case?' Mai thought to herself.

"Don't worry about it, Mai. I'm content with how things are going right now." Madoka said brightly and Mai nodded with a large smile on her face. Her smile hid her worry because she still remembered Gene's warning. She had also been giving the information that Luella had found. And how Naru had told his parents to leave because he was worried.

'Okay, so no one said that he actually _told_ them that he was worried but actions speak louder than words, right? And I'm the only one that knows Lin-san and Madoka are a couple. So I'll have to keep my eyes open.' Mai told herself before Madoka suddenly stood up and she looked up curiously.

"I'm going to go get some fresh air." Madoka said brightly. Mai nodded before she turned back to the monitors. She sighed as her eyes weren't even drooping. Apparently Gene didn't think it was a good time to call her yet. She felt a groan escape her. Gene certainly was nowhere near as time conscious as his twin brother. Mai sometimes wished that he was. After all she might fall asleep more often when she had nothing else to do.

She heard the door open and she looked over shoulder. She frowned as she saw that the door was open but no one was entering. She stood up and walked over to the door. She poked her head out and looked around but saw no one. She frowned before she pulled herself back in and closed the door. She turned back towards her seat before she heard the door open again and she whirled around.

The door was open again. She tilted her head to the side curiously before sighing and going back over to it. She found that there was no one there. She called out to see if Madoka was pulling a trick on her but there was no answer. She stepped back and closed the door once again.

She didn't get to turn away this time as the door flew open again. She frowned before stepping back to the door. She screeched as Naru suddenly appeared in front of her and she stumbled back. She stumbled back to quickly. Her center of gravity shifted and she began to fall. Naru instantly saw what was going to happen and reached out and grabbed her hand.

They both hit the ground. Mai's eyes were clenched shut until she realized that something or rather some_one_ was lying on her. Her eyes snapped open. She squeaked as she saw that Naru was lying on top of her. And he didn't look very happy. She gave a small laugh and his look grew even darker. She groaned. He really wasn't happy about being pulled to the ground. She began to wiggle before he grabbed her shoulders and she froze.

"Quit moving!" he told her and she blinked before he got up. He then held his hand out and helped her up and she rubbed her hip. Why was she the one that was always falling? And why was she always dragging him down with her?!

* * *

Mai felt like crying as she made her way to collect the tapes of the cameras and replacing them. Naru was not in a good mood. And she had just found out that he was driving them back to his house. Apparently Lin was going back to his own apartment.

'Probably because he doesn't want to ride with that idiot scientist. I swear…I should get some sort of insurance for agreeing to ride with him at all!' Mai thought as she dashed into a room and replaced the tape before leaving. She stopped in the hall as she heard slightly raised voices. She tiptoed towards the voices and felt her eyes widen as she realized that it was Lin and Madoka! Mai frowned. Lin was capable of raising his voice? Unbelievable!

"Madoka, I don't see the point of all this secrecy!" Lin's voice said. Mai drew even closer until she was hid in the shadows and could peer into the slightly cracked door of the room. She realized that they had picked a room that didn't have a camera to argue in.

'At least Naru won't see this.' Mai thought gratefully.

"Koujo, it's just until the case is over! We need to put all of our attention on this. Antoinette is one of my best friends and I don't want some ghost hurting her because we're to occupied with all of this." Mai saw Madoka make a gesture between her and Lin.

"Madoka, you have to much of a bleeding heart. When are you going to start thinking about your own happiness?" Lin asked and Mai saw Madoka look away.

"Koujo…I promise, that once this case is over, we'll tell everyone." she said and Lin shook his head.

"And what if there's a case after this one and then another? Madoka, this is our _job_. It's not just going to stop. I'm sure Antoinette would understand if you are a little preoccupied with our engagement." Lin snapped. Mai winced. Even when she had been talking to him about his hatred of the Japanese, he never snapped at her. He acted more as though he were talking to a little child.

"I don't want to take that risk!!" Madoka cried. Mai's eyes went wide as she recognized that tone of voice. Having used it on Naru that night at the lake. Tears were going to spill soon. Madoka was fighting it, that much Mai was sure of.

"Then let me know when you do. I'm going to go see Naru and then I'm going home, Mori-san." Lin said in a quiet voice. Mai shrunk into the shadows as Lin stalked out of the room and disappeared down the hall. Mai heard a small thump and she went to peer into the room

Madoka was sitting on her knees with her hands covering her face. Mai felt her eyes widen as she watched the normally cheerful woman sob into her hands. She was about to enter the room before a voice spoke in her head. A voice she realized belonged to Gene.

'_Let her be. If you try to talk to her she'll just put a mask on. She needs to let this out. You're just getting to know Lin, but he has never been the most patient person in the world._' he whispered. Mai withdrew from the room and walked down the hall. She quickly finished replacing the tapes and went back to the base where Naru was waiting.

"Has Madoka left yet?" Mai asked. Naru just nodded before motioning for Mai to follow him out. She saw that both Lin and Madoka's cars were gone. She gave a soft sigh that had Naru looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing. Is there anyway I can convince you to call your mom or dad to come and get us?" she asked. The dark look he gave her clearly said no.

* * *

I just can't let it go. I have to mention his driving skills in every chapter. I'm mean. Oh, well. Remember to review! Peace out! 


	6. Ghost Ship: Chapter 5

Read Author's Note at the end, please!!!!!

* * *

"Never again. I'm never getting in a vehicle with you again. Never. Do you hear me, Oliver Davis?" Mai told him as she got out of the van and clutched at the siding as Naru came around the other side. She looked at him and shook her head.

"Why don't you just take that ghost on a drive? I'm sure that would scare her enough to crossover." she told him angrily. He glared at her before heading to the front door. She followed him only after she managed to gain the strength back in her legs. She was surprised to find that Luella already had dinner made and apparently she and Martin had been waiting on them.

"I don't know if you've ever had an English meal. I cooked all of Noll's and Gene's favorites." Luella said with a smile. Mai gave her a kind smile as she realized that the older woman was still hoping. Even though Naru had found the body and Gene had a grave.

'A mother's love is always deep. No matter what separates her and her child.' Mai thought as she sat down and prayed with the family before eating. She giggled as Luella cut her off a piece of chocolate cake.

"My favorite!" Mai couldn't help but exclaim. Luella laughed before looking at her son. Her eyes widened slightly at the content look that Naru had on his face as he looked at Mai. Her grin widened as she realized that though her son was still as cynical as ever that Mai had gained a spot in his heart.

"May I use your phone?" Mai asked after dinner was over and Luella nodded before telling her that there was one in the kitchen. "Do you know Madoka's phone number?" Luella nodded before also giving the girl the phone number and Mai was off.

Mai waited for Madoka to pick up the phone. She was unsurprised when the woman opted to ignore the phone. "Madoka, this is Mai. I heard you and Lin arguing...I just wanted you to know that I'm here if you need to talk to me...so...um...I'll go now." Mai said hesitantly. She hung the phone up and saw that Lin's number was pinned up beside the phone. She took a deep breath before picking the phone up and dialing Lin's number.

"Hello?" his voice asked and she gulped. She really wasn't the best person to be sticking her nose in other people's affairs but she was worried about Madoka. The woman didn't strike her as the type of woman that was able to ignore the phone.

"Lin-san...this is Mai. Um, I know I'm really sticking my nose into your business and I hope you'll forgive me. But I overheard you and Madoka arguing. I tried to call her but she wouldn't answer her phone. I'm kind of worried about her." Mai said breathlessly. She blinked as the man gave a soft chuckle.

"You're right, Mai. Normally I would say you were being a busybody. However, I can't." he told her and Mai felt an affectionate smile spread across her face.

"Could you see if she would answer for you? I'm worried about her. And there is no way that I'm going to ask Naru to drive me back to London to check on her." Mai's voice grew weak at the thought of having to ride in a vehicle with Naru again. She heard Lin's laugh.

"I would, Mai. But I think it's best to let her think things through." his voice grew serious and Mai gave a soft sigh.

"Why are you pushing her to announce the engagement?" she asked curiously. She knew it would help for the others to know but what was the big hurry? They'd have the rest of their lives to be together. So why was Lin wanting to announce the engagement so soon?

"She's pregnant." he replied.

"WHAT?!" Mai exclaimed.

* * *

Mai sat up in the bed rubbing her eyes. She suddenly realized that her bed was on the deck of the ship. She scowled before climbing out of the bed and looking at Gene who was leaning against the railing with his back to the water. He smiled at her and she rolled her eyes.

"I think you like seeing me in my pajamas. This is the second time you've called me when I was wearing these." Mai said with a laugh. He chuckled before walking towards the girl. She looked over her shoulder and saw that her bed had disappeared from sight and she turned back to Gene as she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"I found out something that you need to see." he told her. She nodded before he led her through the ship and down to the lowest corridor of the ship. She felt a shiver go down her spine before the scene began to play out before them.

A girl, not much older than Mai, appeared in front of them. Mai saw that she was dressed in a Victorian looking dress. The girl look scared and Mai tilted her head curiously as the girl continued to dash down the corridor. Gene nodded his head and Mai followed the girl and found herself standing in the room where the engine was located. She felt her eyes widen as she saw the girl that she had seen lying on the ground looking up at the ceiling with glazed eyes.

"Oh my!" Mai turned away as tears welled in her eyes. She felt Gene rubbing her back as she tried to not think about the body that was laying near where they were standing.

"You already know the pattern that seems to be happening. I have tried to contact the spirit that is controlling the others. From the way things are happening I would suggest that she has placed a curse on the ship that affects happy, or at the very least _content_, couples." Gene said and Mai shook her head as tears began to spill.

"That's horrible. Who would want to do that?" Mai whispered softly and Gene sighed.

"Whoever placed the curse must have been hurt badly by a loved one. Why she's targeting the women and not the men, I don't know." Gene said. Suddenly Mai's head jerked up and she looked at Gene with wide eyes. He frowned as worry began to show on her face.

"Lin-san and Madoka! Oh, god...Madoka's pregnant!! I have to warn someone!" Mai whispered and she saw Gene's eyebrows shoot up before he nodded in agreement.

"Noll. Tell Noll." he told her. She nodded before she began to fade away. Her eyes snapped open and she was out of her bed and out of the room before she realized that she was even awake and moving. She stopped rather suddenly and slowed her breathing down as she realized that she was standing in the middle of the hallway.

'Alright, I wonder what time it is. There was a clock in that bathroom." Mai tiptoed to the bathroom and opened the door. She turned the light on and looked at the clock on the wall. It read one o'clock in the morning. She gave a soft sigh before she turned the light off and closed the door.

'Would Naru still be up at this time of night?' Mai asked herself. She giggled before nodding. Of course he would still be up. He was Naru. She went down the hall and found the only room that still had a light on. She prayed for forgiveness. She had a feeling that neither Lin nor Madoka would be happy about her telling Naru but she really had no other choice, did she?

She knocked lightly on the door. She waited with held breath before Naru called for her to come in. She gave a soft sigh of relief. She entered and sighed in exasperation. Naru was sitting at his desk, in black pajamas, reading a book. Mai resisted the urge to suddenly hit Naru upside the head.

"You know, they say it's bad for your health to sit up all night." Mai said as she went over to him. He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"As charming as it is that you're worried about my health...I somehow don't believe that's the reason that you're visiting me so late." he told her. She gave a soft sigh and a nod of her head.

"You're right. I had a dream. And...Gene told me to come to you." she whispered softly. Naru frowned before he closed his book and turned so that he was facing her fully and she gulped. She loved his eyes, but having them turned on her so inquisitively made her want to squirm.

"I see. What is Gene wanting us to know?" Naru asked and Mai looked down at her hands that were twisting into the waist of her pajama pants.

"Well, first and foremost you should know something about Lin and Madoka. They're engaged." she saw his eyes widen slightly and she gave a silent victory dance. She knew something he didn't know. "And Gene believes that something is trying to tear them apart. I believe it. I heard them arguing and Madoka seemed pretty upset." Mai finished. She watched Naru close his eyes for a moment before reopening them.

"Madoka is a stubborn woman. If she wants to be on this case, she will be on this case. I can't stop her. However it might be a good idea to keep a close check on her. I'll see if Matsuzaki-san can stay with her." Naru said and Mai nodded with a chuckle.

"Yeah, with how much that ghost seems to _love_ me I wouldn't be very much protection." Mai said. Naru nodded at her before glancing at the clock and sighing.

"Try to get some rest. And if your wayward spirit guide decides to show up, tell him to let you rest." he told her as she turned away. She looked over her shoulder as she saw him folding his covers back.

"And his response to that is you wear black to often and to get over it." she said brightly before bouncing out of the room. Naru stared after her for a moment before growling and climbing into bed. Gene just couldn't leave well enough alone! He was even worse now that he was dead!

* * *

"I brought donuts!" Ayako said the next morning as they entered the base. They all stopped as Antoinette and another woman were sitting at one of the tables drinking coffee. Antoinette stood up with a smile on her face as she saw that all the SPR members were there.

"Then they should go well with the coffee that I made. Everyone, this is my sister Catherine. Catherine, these are the people that Madoka helped me hire to find out what's going on." Antoinette said with a smile. Catherine looked very much like Antoinette. Mai thought they could pass for twins.

"Lin-san, Dr. Davis...it's a pleasure to see you again." Catherine said friendlily. Mai blinked in confusion and the woman gave a small laugh.

"Lin-san and I were in the same grade in school. Madoka and I are friends as well...you're Taniyama-san, right?" the woman asked and Mai nodded with a bright smile on her face.

"Yes, you can call me Mai though. Everyone else does, even those that _assume_ I wouldn't have minded." she sent a glare at Naru but he didn't seem to notice. Or if he did, he ignored her.

"Alright." Catherine said brightly.

"Miss Johnston, in the report that you sent us you mentioned some incidents that happened to you personally. Could you tell us about those?" Naru asked, going straight into work mode. He had, thankfully, listened to Mai and wouldn't mention the engagement to Lin or Madoka. Though Lin had shown up Madoka was still missing. And Mai was getting worried.

"Ah, yes. Well, whenever I would go down to the two lowest levels I would feel as though someone was watching me. One time I was down there by myself and I felt something hit me on the back of my head. I remember waking up in the hall. When I got home that night I had scratches up and down my arms and legs. That's when I asked Antoinette to contact Madoka." Catherine said softly. Mai felt her eyes widen in surprise. It sounded as though things were getting worse with time.

"Should we investigate some more, Shibuya-san?" Yasuhara asked. Naru nodded before looking at Mai and then at Lin. She suddenly understood and nodded in understanding.

"Lin-san, Mai, I want you to stay here and watch the monitors. Antoinette, Catherine, if you could show us where you have the most activity present we could move the cameras around." he told them. They split into groups and were soon on their way.

Mai went over and poured two cups of coffee and took one over to Lin. She set it down beside him. He looked up at her and gave her a grateful nod and she sat down beside him. She was trying to figure out how she should approach him. Bluntness was probably the best option but she didn't know how he would react.

"Lin-san...about Madoka..." she stopped as he looked at her and shook his head.

"I shouldn't have told you about the pregnancy. However, I did try to call Madoka. She wouldn't answer and I left her a message that you were worried." he looked away as he saw the look on Mai's face. "I told her I was worried as well."

"That's the first step, Lin-san. But...I told Naru, and with what Gene's been telling me, we agree that you and Madoka should be really careful. After all the target of this entity, curse, ghost, or whatever...is happy couples. And you and Madoka are happy, you just have your ups and downs. Like everyone else." Mai said and Lin nodded before massaging his temples.

"I don't understand _why_ she wants to wait, Mai. It would be safer for the both of us if we could just announce it. Is it so wrong for me to want everyone to know...that I finally had enough courage to ask her?" Lin asked and Mai shook her head.

"No, it isn't. It isn't, Lin-san. But maybe you need to let her breath. All of this hit her at once. I mean, pregnancy and an engagement. Maybe she's just trying to figure out how to tell everyone." Mai whispered. Lin nodded in agreement before running a hand through his hair. Mai blinked as she was able to see both of his eyes for a moment before his bangs fell back into place.

"I think I know why she's wanting to hold off." Mai and Lin turned around to see Catherine standing there holding one of the tapes. Mai realized that Takigawa must have sent her with it. That meant there was something on it.

"What are you talking about?" Mai asked curiously. She saw that Catherine's eyes were trained on Lin who was looking at her confused.

"She wants to wait...because she knows...that I'm in love with you, Lin-san!!" Catherine cried. Mai almost fell out of her chair.

'Talk about drama!!' Mai thought before she looked at Lin and saw that he didn't look much better than she felt.

* * *

Okay, so I got this idea from a really good friend. This friend got onto my computer and was reading the story. She commented to me that Madoka was acting awfully emtional, like her mother had when she was pregnant. I started to smile and she just kind of stared at me and went "Oh, no. I've got her thinking." and she had. So here's the result. Some of my reviewers thought Antoinette held a flame for Lin. They were close...but it was the other sister. Remember to review. Poor Lin, his fiancee doesn't want to announce all their great news because she's worried about someone else. Sound like another girl we know?! REVIEW!!


	7. Ghost Ship: Chapter 6

_Review:_

"_She's pregnant."_

"_I'm in love with you, Lin-san!!"_

_How much drama can one person take?!_

Mai felt as though she were dreaming. There was no way that so much would be going on. She rested her head on the table. Lin had taken Catherine out to talk to her and left Mai to watch the monitors. She groaned before bringing her head back up and watched as Naru and his group appeared on one of the monitors.

'No wonder Madoka was so adamant about keeping the engagement secret. She didn't want to hurt her friend. And she wouldn't tell Lin-san that because she thought she could handle it.' Mai thought sadly before she noticed something on the monitor that Naru's group was on. Something that she didn't like seeing. A female figure that was most certainly _not_ alive.

"Naru, GET OUT OF THERE!! THAT FEMALE GHOST IS IN THERE!!" Mai screamed over the walkie talkies that they had passed out in order to communicate with each other.

"Where's Lin?" Naru's voice asked. Mai squeaked as a hand reached out and took the device from her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Lin was the one that had taken it from her and she gave a sigh of relief. She didn't feel like being attacked by a ghost today.

"Naru, Mai's right. There's an apparition in that room. And considering Mai's been faced with her twice I would leave. Get back to base. I'll see what readings I can get from the camera." Lin told him before putting the device down and going over to his computer. She watched Lin out of the corner of her eye as he typed away furiously.

'He looks kind of pale. Is he alright?' Mai thought worriedly as she continued to study the silent Chinese man. Before she suddenly realized that they had never watched the tape that Catherine brought them. She retrieved the tape and put it into the player.

The screen came to life to show one of the hallways. Mai watched for a few moments before gasping. She felt Lin standing beside her in an instance as they watched what was happening. Women were running down the hall, crying and screaming. And then _she_ came. Mai felt a shiver go down her spine as her eyes locked on the woman's as they stared at her out of the camera.

"Mai?" Lin called. He frowned as Mai's eyes glazed over as she sat there. He reached a hand out and shook her but elicited no response. He looked up as the door opened and saw that everyone had fathered there.

"Noll, Mai isn't responding to me. She watched something that was recorded last night and she's went into a daze." Lin told the younger man. He didn't think he'd ever seen Naru react so quickly as he was suddenly standing in front of Mai. He reached over and turned the tape off but it had no affect.

"Mai? Mai, answer me!" Naru shook her before she blinked and her eyes gained their life back. She looked up at Naru as tears began to form before throwing herself into his arms sobbing.

"What _did_ you do?!" Takigawa asked incredulously as Mai sobbed into Naru's chest. Naru sent a glare at the monk and Takigawa withdrew before suddenly Masako stood up.

"She saw something. I know that look. My mother, who was also a medium, would be able to see how a ghost or spirit died. If they would let her. It always upset her greatly." Masako saw that Mai was watching her with teary eyes and she gave the young girl an encouraging smile. Though Mai was her rival, she knew where Naru's heart lay. And because of that she knew that she should be pleasant to Mai. Especially when she was so upset.

"Mai, what did you see?" Naru asked and she wiped her eyes as she tried to gain her thoughts. Her mind scurried away from what she had saw but she forced herself to remember. She knew it would help. She _had_ to do this.

"I...I was one of the girls. I was running down the hall, running from something that I couldn't see. All I know was that I was scared. Then I was standing in the engine room. I don't remember how I got there, I guess I ran there. I was standing there...and then..." her voice choked and she closed her eyes as she forced the words out. It was almost over. "Something wrapped around my neck and began to choke me. Something was whispering in my ear. That's when you started to shake me." Mai looked up at Naru and saw that his eyes were trained on her before he gave a slight nod.

"Antoinette, where were the bodies of the girls usually found?" he asked. He watched her think before shaking her head.

"That's the odd thing, Dr. Davis. They were _always_ found in the rooms they had been assigned the day _before_ the ship docked. And I believe Mai is right. They were all strangled to death...except one." Antoinette answered with a frown.

"What was the exception?" Mai asked quietly. She was surprised that Naru hadn't let her go yet. But she felt as though if she tried to move away that she would collapse. She didn't want to look like a fool.

"The woman...was killed by poison. At first everyone thought it was suicide. But now that I think about, my grandfather, who was a boy at the time, said that the woman had been missing the entire time. They had searched her cabin but she wasn't there. And...if she had killed herself then she shouldn't have been moved...right?" Antoinette asked.

"The circumstances are odd. Was she in a relationship?" Naru asked. Antoinette nodded with a soft sigh.

"Yes...it was extremely scandalous. She was the mistress of the Prime Minister's son. I'm not really sure why she was on the ship. Some theorized that the son's wife paid her off and gave her a ticket." Antoinette answered and Naru sighed before looking at the three exorcists.

"I need you to all prepare. Each of you will accompany myself, Hara-san, and Antoinette on separate walkthroughs. Yasuhara-san, I need you to report to the Centre, my mother should have some more information and the blueprints for the ship." he told the bespectacled man. Yasuhara nodded before leaving.

"Lin, Mai, I want you to watch the monitors. Record anything out of the ordinary. We won't be taking the walkie talkies. It may cause even less activity. And we want as much as we can get." Naru told them. Mai nodded before Naru let her go. She felt a blush spread across her face as she realized that he had been holding her the entire time. She couldn't look him in the eye as they left the room. She glared at Lin as he chuckled.

"I don't think Noll has ever held someone that long before, Mai." he told her and her face grew even redder at the subtle insinuation that was in Lin's words. Then she remembered that Lin and Catherine had disappeared for a few moments. She sat back down in her seat and looked at Lin who still looked slightly pale.

"Did you and Catherine talk?" Mai asked softly. He sighed and she watched as his normally straight shoulders slumped slightly.

"Yes. And I feel like an utter fool." he told her and she blinked in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Lin-san?" she asked and he turned to look at her. He shook his head as he once again ran his hand through his hair. She hadn't been aware that he was such a nervous person.

"I was pushing Madoka so hard to announce the engagement with me. And she was just trying to protect her friend. My friend as well. I feel like a total idiot for not trusting her. Isn't that what a marriage is about? Trusting your partner?" he asked. Mai gave him a gentle smile before she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't think you were being to pushy. I mean, you wanted everyone to know that you were going to be spending the rest of your life with her. And the fact that both of you are going to become parents is something that you want to share with your loved ones. It's romantic, Lin-san.

"However...this may be a little bit for Madoka. She's pregnant and right now she thinks you're upset with her. Probably enough that she thinks you're going to call the engagement off. After we get done here, would you go to her apartment and talk to her?" Mai whispered. Lin was looking at her slightly stunned before he smiled at her. She squealed as he ruffled her hair and she tried to get away from him and was thankful when he let go.

"So do you want Noll to propose to you soon?" he asked and Mai squeaked as her face flared red before she glared at him angrily.

"NO! I'm only seventeen! We're to young. However..." he suddenly didn't like the look that was in her eyes. She could be quiet devious when she wanted. "It's about time you get a move on, old man!" she laughed before running as he tried to tackle her. She giggled as he glared at her before shaking his head.

"I thought that Monk-san was the old man?" he asked her as he reclaimed his seat in front of the monitors. She just shrugged as she smiled at him.

"Well, he's a monk so he's not supposed to have kids. As far as I know you're an onmyouji...and though I don't know much about Chinese customs...I don't think it's against the rules for you to have kids. And anyway, you're older than Monk-san." she told him and he rolled his eyes.

"Alright, I'm going to stop talking to you." he told her and she giggled before taking her own seat back. She had never thought that Lin would be so hyperactive and now that she thought about it she could see that he would make a good father. Mai smile affectionately before turning her attention back to the monitors.

After a few moments she noticed that the table was trembling. She looked at Lin and saw that he had seen it as well. He stood up and gently pulled Mai away from the table as it began to tremble even more. She looked at Lin and saw that he was looking around the entire room as he pulled her towards the door. He suddenly looked at her and she felt her eyes widen as he pushed her away from him.

She watched horrified as a rather heavy table slammed into Lin and pinned him to the floor. She was frozen and she didn't notice that the shaking had stopped. She sat there looking at Lin as he lay staring up at the ceiling before she felt tears in her eyes.

"LIN-SAN!!!" she screamed before crawling over to him. She saw that his eyes were closed and he looked paler than ever. She tried to move the table put it was to heavy and she felt heavy sobs catch in her throat. She looked up as the door banged as someone threw it open. Naru and Takigawa were standing there wide eyed.

"Naru!! Help me!! Please, he's hurt!!! I..." she couldn't talk as Naru gently moved her away and he Takigawa moved the table.

"I'll go get Ayako. She should know what to do." Takigawa said before running off to look for the miko. Mai was sobbing into Naru's shoulder and he held her gently, not knowing what else to do.

'_Tell her it'll be okay. Comfort her, you idiot._' came Gene's voice. Naru couldn't resist and wrapped his arms around Mai as Ayako dashed in with a first aide box clutched in her hands. Everyone watched on in silence as Ayako worked, only Mai's choked sobs could be heard as they were muffled by the fabric of Naru's shirt.

"He'll be okay. Just a few bruised ribs, he just passed out from the pain. Not uncommon. Takigawa, John, can you get him on the cot?" the red haired woman asked before she looked at Naru and he gently pulled away from Mai as she began to calm down. He could see from the look in her eye that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Come on, I'll take you to the Centre." he whispered to her and she nodded before letting Antoinette lead her out of the room and to the van. Naru turned to the others that were left behind.

"I'll call Madoka and see if she'll come." he told them before walking out and the others exchanged glances.

"I didn't sense anything when we were doing the walkthrough. I think the ghosts have gone into hiding. Or at least are able to hide from me." Masako whispered softly and Ayako shook her head.

"It doesn't make any sense. I mean this thing is suppose to target people that are in a happy relationship. Instead it seems to be targeting people that aren't even _in_ a relationship." Ayako said and Masako hid her mouth before her kimono sleeve to hide her frown.

"If I may be so bold, Naru and Mai bicker like an old married couple. It would be quite easy to confuse them as such." she told them and she blushed as everyone looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"You should continue with the walkthrough. I'll stay with Lin-san until he comes to and then join up." Ayako said. The rest nodded and she took a seat in front of the monitors waiting for something to happen.

* * *

Madoka slowly opened the door to the base. She saw Lin sitting up on the cot and felt tears of relief in her eyes. She saw him look up as he heard her close the door. She noticed that he was alone and was slightly relieved. She saw his eyes widen and she felt a smile spread across her face before she ran to him and collapsed on her knees beside the cot as she hugged him around the waist.

"K-Koujo!! Oh, god!! You're okay! Thank god!" she sobbed into his waist. She felt his hand gently brushing her hair as the sobs shook her body before she was being pulled up and into his lap with her head resting on his shoulder.

"I'm glad _you're_ okay. You had me worried to death by not answering your cell phone." he told her and she blinked teary eyes before frowning.

"It never rang." she told him and he blinked in surprise.

"And your home phone?" he asked and she frowned before giggling as she realized something.

"Oops...I forgot to pay the bill." she said and he rolled his eyes before looking at her.

"Get your cell phone out." he told her. She reached into her pocket and open the device. She blinked as she realized it had no power. She saw Lin shaking his head as she turned it on. Or at least tried to. It wouldn't come on.

"I must have forgotten to charge it." she said with a small smile and he rolled his eyes before kissing her on the cheek and she blushed before lying her head on his shoulder. She gently drew figures on his chest and she felt him jerk under her touch.

"Madoka?" he asked. She gave a gentle smile before looking up at him.

"I've been thinking. You're right. We shouldn't wait." she saw his eyes widen and her eyes closed as he bent down to kiss her gently. When he pulled away she was slightly dazed and probably would've done anything he asked. 'Which explains why I'm pregnant.' she thought affectionately.

"What is it?" he asked breaking her from her daze and she looked at him with one of her trademark smiles.

"Let's elope."

* * *

Um...read and review! Don't have much time to say much else! Let me know what you think!


	8. Ghost Ship: Chapter 7

Read and Review and read the AN at the end if you want.

* * *

Naru and Mai heard panicked voices as they pulled up to the docked ship. Mai was shaking slightly from the hazardous drive back from the Centre. As she climbed out of the van she noticed that Lin's car was gone and Madoka's was parked in one of the spaces. She looked at Naru and he shrugged.

"Naru!!" Ayako cried as they entered the base. He frowned as he saw that Madoka nor Lin were anywhere to be seen. He turned a questioning glance on Takigawa and the older man shrugged.

"We saw Madoka pull up from one of the rooms so we thought she was here. We wanted to come and see why she was so late. And then we got here and they were gone. We looked out and Lin's van was gone to. They aren't here." Takigawa answered with another shrug of his shoulders.

"And Lin's car is gone." Ayako pointed out and Mai nodded. She wondered what was going on before a thought struck her.

"Maybe she took Lin to the hospital. He looked pretty bad when we left. I'm sure that's all. His care was parked closer than hers...so that's probably what happened. Why don't you call Lin-san on his phone?" Mai asked cheerfully. Naru nodded before he pulled his cell phone out and called Lin. They all jumped as the man's phone began to ring from the cot.

Mai walked over to the cot and picked the phone up. She knew that he had left it there on purpose. After all, he usually kept his cell phone in his front jacket pocket. She blinked as she noticed a folded piece of paper. She looked over her shoulder as the rest of them were discussing the sudden disappearance of the two other investigators. She reached out and picked the paper and unfolded it and began to read it. Her eyes went wide as she comprehended what was going on

"NO WAY!!!" Mai cried out as she looked at the letter in her hands. She felt everyone crowd around her before Ayako snatched the letter out of her hand and looked at it incredulously and then looking at the others.

"They've eloped!" she cried. Mai winced as everyone started yelled and tried to get the letter so that they could see the proof. Mai looked at Naru and he shook his head before dragging her away from the group and towards the monitors. Then he noticed that Mai seemed to be in a daze.

"Mai?" he asked. She suddenly sighed wistfully as she placed her hands over her heart and giggled.

"It's romantic. Running off with the man that you're in love with." Mai said wistfully. Naru scowled at her before looking back at the monitors.

"It's idiotic. I can't believe someone like Lin would be stupid enough to run off with a girl." he said coolly before wincing as something hit him on the head sharply.

"What would you know, you cold, narcissistic _dork_!!" she cried and Naru looked at her coolly before turning away from her again. He decided that replying would be useless as she would just try to argue with him again.

* * *

'I can't believe that they actually decided to elope. I suppose it's easier than just telling everyone about the engagement. Or the pregnancy. I wonder if there just going to wait until she has the baby before resurfacing. Maybe it would be best for them, and this case, if they stayed low for a little while.' Mai thought as she walked down the halls, once again gathering and replacing the tapes. 

'It's so romantic.' Mai thought wistfully as she continued her job. She was soon finished and making her way back to the base. She knew the rest of SPR was looking for anything that could be curse in hopes to destroy it. Though she wasn't sure how they would be able to now that their curse expert was gone, away on what could now be his honeymoon.

'Poor Lin. If I was him I'd never return considering the mood that Naru will be in if he does return.' Mai thought as she skipped into the room. She smiled as she realized that she had the base to herself. She went to the monitors and sat down in front of the screen.

'I'm getting sleepy. Gene wants to see me I guess.' Mai thought with a smile on her face before she put her head on her arms and closed her eyes. She knew Naru would be angry with her but she couldn't fight it. Nor did she want to it. After all it could help the case even more.

* * *

Her eyes opened slowly and she found herself in a room that she didn't recognize. It was a bedroom but it looked so plain. She sat up and saw Gene leaning against the door with that gentle smile on his face. She gave him a smile and she nodded at him before looking around the room. 

"Where are we?" she asked softly and he chuckled before going to the window that was located in the room.

"The Captain's Quarters." he replied before he pointed to a large painting that was hanging on the wall. Mai shifted her gaze to where he was pointing and felt her eyes widen at the portrait.

"That's...that's the 'Lady'!!" she cried and Gene nodded before he went over to Mai and helped her off the bed. He led her to the painting and she expected it more closely and felt her heart clench. "She looks so sad in the painting."

"Probably because she caught her husband having an affair with her sister. She couldn't tell anyone because in that day and age it was better to keep silence. So she did it another way." Gene said. Mai's eyes widened as she began to understand what Gene was trying to tell her.

"She placed a curse on them because they seemed so happy. But shouldn't the curse have died with her?" Mai asked curiously and Gene shook his head.

"Normally it would have, had she died a natural death. She didn't. She realized that her husband would do anything to protect her sister, including giving up her life for him. So she killed herself. In doing so she intensified the curse so that it's almost impossible to break." Gene said. Mai felt her eyes widen before she turned away from the painting to look at him.

"But surely..." she whispered. There _had_ to be a way to break the curse placed on the ship. There just _had_ to be.

"The only way is to let the curse run it's full course. In the love triangle, the person that loves another but does not receive it in return would be the one affected. But since that hasn't happened on the ship...the woman in the happy relationship is targeted because the ghost is jealous." Gene said. Mai felt her heart stop as she stumbled away slightly from Gene.

"But that would mean..." she whispered as tears began to form in her eyes. "That would mean someone would have to die!" she cried before she felt the ground open up beneath her and she screamed as she fell away from Gene. She was soon jerking up from the table and looking around scared before she gave a soft sigh of relief as she realized that no one was there to have seen her sleeping.

'This is horrible. Especially if that's the _only_ way for us to stop that curse. But who on earth...would be on the receiving end of the curse? Masako said that she had given up on Naru because she realized her heart lay somewhere else. Wait a minute. Catherine. She told Lin that she loved him but he told her that he loved Madoka...and he eloped with Madoka. Could she?' Mai shot up from her seat and ran out of the base looking for the woman. Instead she ran into Antoinette sending them both flying to the floor.

"Well, where are you running off to in such a hurry?" the older girl laughed and Mai couldn't help but laugh as well. Until she remembered the reason for her frenzied state.

"Do you know where your sister is?!" Mai cried. Antoinette blinked before thinking for a moment and then slowly shaking her head.

"I saw her on her cell phone earlier and she was talking to someone in Dublin again. I think they were having unseen complications with the baby she delivered up there. She probably flew back. I can call her if you like? Why are you so worried about her?" Antoinette asked her and Mai shook her head, not really having time to explain. She needed Antoinette to make that phone call _now_.

"Please, Antoinette. I don't have time to explain but I think that Catherine may be what the ghost's curse is after!" Mai cried. She watched the woman's eyes widen before she hurriedly dialed the number and waited for her sister to pick up. As Mai had feared there was no answer. Antoinette looked at her scared before Mai shook her head.

"Go home and see if she's there, maybe packing and couldn't answer! I'll go find Naru and tell him everything! Hurry!" Mai cried as she took off running towards the cabins and down the steps. She hadn't counted on Naru being at the bottom. And she hadn't counted on tripping. And she certainly hadn't counted on him catching her.

"Oh, Naru. Hi!" she said as she lay on top of him, slightly breathless. He raised an eyebrow at her. She pushed herself up and off of him and watched as he agilely pulled himself up before looking at her.

"Why were you running like you were being chased by a madman?" he asked her and she flushed slightly before shaking her head. She didn't have _time_ to be embarrassed!

"I just had a dream, Naru! Gene...he told me how the curse works! I think that Catherine is the target." Mai quickly gave him an explanation of what Gene had told her. She saw his eyes widen slightly before nodding.

"Come on." he told her as he grabbed her hand and began to drag her back towards base. She felt her face flame red as they walked. She wrapped her fingers around his hand shyly as she ran to keep up.

"I told Antoinette to see if she could find Catherine. She thinks that she went back to Dublin." Mai told him as they entered the base and he released her hand.

"That was actually good thinking, Mai. It may best for Catherine to stay in Dublin if she _is_ the target." he told her as he called over the walkie talkies for everyone else to return to the base. Within ten minutes everyone was gathered and Mai told her story and theories to them.

"Sounds like Gene is getting a lot of information. I wish he could contact that female spirit." Takigawa sighed as he flopped down in a chair. Mai gave a soft sigh and nodded in agreement.

"He's tried contacting her but she won't reply. I don't think she _wants_ to talk. She just wants to hurt people because of how badly she was hurt by her husband. I could never kill myself because of a guy!" Mai said stubbornly.

"No. It's not her fault that he didn't love her. And in that time and age, arranged marriages were the _only_ way a person could get married. Love didn't factor in at all." John agreed and Mai gave a soft sigh before Naru told her to make tea. She got up and began to do her chore.

'That poor woman. She was forced into a marriage and ended up falling in love with her husband. But her husband fell in love with her sister. And while that in itself was _wrong_, he'd do anything to protect the woman that he loved.' Mai thought sadly as she waited for the kettle to go off.

'I wonder how Lin-san and Madoka are doing.' she smiled. She jumped as the kettle jerked her from her thoughts before she quickly prepared the tea. She looked over her shoulder and asked if anyone else would like some. Everybody's hand shot up and she gave a small laugh.

"Alright then." she replied before making everyone's tea. She delivered Naru his before allowing everyone else to grab a cup from the trey. She quickly put the trey back before she reclaimed her seat and watched as everyone talked and laughed, much like they did when they were at the office. She took a peek at Naru and saw that he was studying the case file.

'Will he stay here or return to Japan? He might not know that she's pregnant yet, but I'm sure he'll want to stay and see Lin and Madoka's baby. And somehow I think Madoka likes living in England.' Mai thought sadly before another voice spoke in her head.

'He has you.' it told her and she closed her eyes and gave an unnoticeable shake of her head. That didn't matter. If he cared for her, he wouldn't have broken her heart at the lake that night. He obviously _wanted_ her to love Gene so that he wouldn't have to deal with her child-like tendencies.

"Hey, Mai-chan, you're being awfully quiet!" Takigawa said. Mai's head jerked up, her smile in place as the monk tried to hug her and she ducked under his arms. She watched as Ayako hit him on the back telling him that he was being a pervert and needed to stop flirting with Mai all the time.

"I was just thinking, Monk-san!" she said cheerfully before squealing as the man began to chase her, obviously wanting to tickle her.

"Stop it." Naru's cool voice interrupted them. Mai looked at him and gulped as she saw the coolness in his eyes. She gave him a smile, that he ignored, as he glared at her. She realized that he was holding his cell phone out towards her. She blinked in surprise before going over and taking the device.

"Hello?" she asked curiously, wondering who it was.

"Mai!" she blinked in surprise as it was Madoka's voice. "Lin and I are married. We're heading up to Durham for a few days. We thought we'd let you know before we completely disappeared. We'll come back to the ship before we leave."

"NO!" Mai cried. She blinked at her response before shaking her head.

"Mai?" Madoka asked curiously and Mai took a deep breath before giving a soft giggle.

"Madoka, this is your honeymoon. Don't worry about this case, alright? Have a good time with Lin-san." Mai told her. She heard Madoka exhale before she heard a voice speaking in the back. A voice she realized was Lin's.

"Thank you, Mai. We'll call when we get back then and see if the case is solved." Madoka said brightly before Mai heard the audible click as she hung up. Mai closed Naru's cell phone and handed it to him.

"They're headed up to Durham for their honeymoon. I told them they didn't need to stop by before leaving, is that alright?" she asked. She saw him frown before sighing softly.

"It will have to be. Considering they blocked the number they were calling from and I have no way of contacting them since Madoka refuses to answer her phone." he told her and she gave a soft sigh. She realized that she probably should have made sure it was alright.

'What's done is done.' she thought with a shrug of her shoulders before reclaiming her seat. Beside she had done what she thought was best. After all, a married couple should have time to themselves before they had to face the real world again.

"So Madoka and Lin are already married?" Ayako asked and Mai nodded with a bright smile on her face.

"Yes!" she said happily.

"That's some good news. It'll give us strength to solve this case." John said in his optimistic voice and Mai nodded. John was right. They had a case to solve and they needed to do it before Lin and Madoka returned. Especially before they returned.

'If they return before this case is over they could be in serious danger.' Mai thought before she sighed. "I'm going to go get some fresh air." she told the others before she left the base and went up to the main deck.

She walked over to the railing and leaned against it. She let out a breath. She watched the water as the sun reflected on it. She smiled as she watched it. It was so relaxing and she closed her eyes and tilted her head up towards the sun. She felt so comfortable at the moment. Until something decided to push her over the railing.

"AHH!!" she screamed as she flipped over it and her hands clutched the railing tightly before she felt someone grab her wrist. She looked up and saw Naru holding onto her and she began to pull herself up before something wrapped around her waist and began to pull. She screamed as she slipped even more, Naru being pulled further down.

"NARU!!" she cried as the pressure continued around her waist. Her hand was slipping from his and she saw his eyes widen. She screamed as her hand was torn away. As she fell she saw his face as he leaned over the rail and she hit the water.

'NARU!! HELP ME!!' she thought as she went under and when she tried to surface she found that the pressure around her waist had moved to her ankles and was holding her under. Before she could stop her mouth from doing so it opened and water rushed into her mouth and she clutched at her throat before darkness took her over and the last thing she saw was a disturbance in the water before darkness enveloped her.

* * *

Hm. Will Madoka and Lin get back before the case is solved? Will Mai survive? I don't know! Review and I'll see if I can come up with something! Peace out! 


	9. Ghost Ship: Chapter 8

Read AN at end.

* * *

"MAI!!" her brain registered a panicked voice and something holding. Something _wet _was holding her. But for the life of her she couldn't figure where she was or who the voice belonged to. She gave a small whimper as her consciousness began to return with and with it a vicious headache.

"Is she breathing, Naru?" said a familiar female voice. She felt the person holding her shift and she felt something grab her mouth and gently pried her lips open. She coughed at the sudden burst of her hair. She began to struggle against the person holding her captive until her muscles became weak and she went limp.

"Yes, she's breathing, Matsuzaki-san." a voice replied. A voice she recognized as Naru's and she gave another whimper. She felt arms tighten around her body and then sirens and she gave a small groan as the sound made her growing headache even worse.

"The ambulance is here." a voice came that the recognized at Takigawa's and she whimpered as she was shifted suddenly. She then realized that she was moving and she heard a soft voice whispering in her ear. A voice she knew was Naru's.

"Hang on, Mai. Just hang on. You're going to b okay. Do you hear me? You're going to be okay." he whispered. She felt herself being placed on something soft and she cracked her eyes open. She looked up at him and felt as though there was a film over her eyes.

"N-Naru..." she whispered and he gently stroked her forehead before her eyes slipped back closed. She fell back into the black oblivion as panic ensued around her and she knew nothing of it.

* * *

Naru watched with a sick feeling in his stomach as doctors swarmed around Mai in the hospital. He didn't know _why_ his stomach felt so funny. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to seeing Mai looking so frail. He had certainly never seen her in the hospital before. And it didn't do pleasant things to his stomach. He jumped slightly as his phone rang and he took it out of his wet pocket. He was surprised that it still worked. He saw that it was Madoka.

"Hello?" he answered and waited for an answer in return.

"Noll? This is Madoka. Your mother was able to get hold of me. She said Mai got hurt!" Madoka's voice greeted him. He held in a sigh before confirming it.

"Something pushed her over the railing. When I tried to pull her up something started pulling her until her hand slipped out of mine. I dived in after her and saved her but she's still unconscious." he told her. He heard an engine revving and he frowned. They should've already been in Durham. Where were they?

"What hospital is she in?" Madoka asked frantically and Naru frowned.

"London General." he replied and he heard Madoka relaying it to Lin who he realized was driving. And then it hit him.

"We'll be there in twenty minutes. I'm on my cell phone. Call me if on my cell phone. Call me if _anything_ changes." she told him. Before he could reply she had hung up and he sighed. He looked back at Mai before a doctor led him away and told him that he needed to wait until they could clear Mai.

Naru wasn't sure how long he waited until Lin and Madoka came rushing in. He stood up and was engulfed by Madoka's hug as he stood there before she sat him down as though he were a child. And he really didn't care as he was currently incapable of coherent thought at the moment.

"Have they told you anything?" Lin asked and Naru just shook his head. Madoka looked up at Lin and he met her gaze.

"Call Martin and Luella and tell them to come to the hospital. And call the others as well." Madoka whispered. Lin nodded before turning on his heel and walking away quickly. Madoka turned back to Naru and frowned as he was staring at the floor with glazed eyes.

'That's the same look he had when he realized Gene was dead.' Madoka thought as she gently rubbed his back. She wasn't sure how else she was supposed to comfort him. She had always had a feeling that this would happen should he fail in protecting her and she would get hurt.

"Noll, it isn't your fault. Mai won't blame you. You know that." Madoka tried to comfort him and he shook his head.

"I'm supposed to be a genius. And yet I have failed in everything." he put his head in his hands and clutched at it. Madoka gave a soft sigh before reaching out and putting her hand on his head as though he were a child.

"No, you haven't and you know that. Don't say that. You can't break down after all you've been through." she told him and he looked up at her. And in that moment Madoka saw the teenage boy staring at her out of grieving eyes. She pulled him into a hug. "That doesn't mean you can't be a teenager once in awhile."

She wasn't sure how long she held Naru. He wasn't moving and she knew that though he wasn't crying that this was his way of letting his grief out. Lin came over and sat beside her and took her shaking hand. She could feel tears in her eyes. She knew that they should've come back to the ship no matter what Mai had said to them.

"Martin and Luella are here." Lin said as he let her hand go and stood up to greet the two adults. Luella took a seat beside Naru and he straightened up and closed his eyes. To anyone looking at him they would think he was asleep.

"Oh, over here!" Madoka waved her hand as the rest of the group arrived and took their seats.

"Have the doctors said anything?" Ayako asked. Madoka shook her head and the priestess/doctor gave an angry huff.

"Calm down, Ayako. I'm sure they're doing everything they can." Takigawa told the distressed woman but it did little to calm the woman. He sighed before reaching over and wrapping his arm around. The action was enough to make her look at him with wide eyes before laying her head down on his shoulder.

"Dr. Davis?" an older man approached them with a white coat and a clipboard approached them. Naru stood up to face him. And whatever news the man brought. Some part of Naru was praying desperately that everything would be okay. He couldn't believe how weird he was acting and he chalked it up to stress. That was the only explanation he had.

"Yes?" he asked in his normal voice. He wasn't sure about how he managed to have the cool tone but he did.

"Miss Taniyama had large amounts of water in her lungs. She was lucky to arrive at the hospital when she did. We were able to get the water out and she is awake and asking for her friends. She may be a little hesitant to drink anything but that is _exactly_ what she needs to do." the doctor told them before leading them to Mai's room where she was indeed sitting up and she smiled as she saw everyone.

"LIN!! MADOKA!" she exclaimed as the couple walked in. Madoka went over and hugged her. Lin went over and patted her on the head affectionately. She looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Congratulations, Lin-san!" she said and he chuckled. Of course, she was in the hospital and was thinking of someone else. That was just typical Mai. And he hoped that nothing ever changed that.

"Thank you, Mai." he told her and she giggled happily before the other greeted her and Madoka moved to Lin where he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him with a smile before sighing.

"I guess I ruined our honeymoon by demanding to come back." she whispered sadly. She felt him squeeze her and she looked back up at him to see he was smiling as Mai tried to pry a crying monk off her shoulders.

"Neither of us would have had a good time with Mai being in the hospital. She's like you. Once she gets in a person's heart, she just won't leave!" he told her and she giggled before reaching up and caressing his cheek.

"Aww, that's sweet, Kou-kun." and she watched as his cheeks reddened slightly at her nickname before they both jumped as everyone's attention shifted from Mai to them.

"Why didn't you tell us you were going to marry?!" Ayako demanded as she stomped over, a slightly curious Takigawa following, and grabbed Madoka's hand for closer inspection. Takigawa peered over Ayako's shoulder at the engagement ring and wedding band before he smirked at Lin. Who instantly knew what was coming if it was from Takigawa.

"Didn't know you were such a romantic Lin-san." he smirked. Lin didn't reply but glared at the monk who instantly decided he was safer beside Mai, consequently knocking John away and into Masako who screeched as she fell into Ayako and they all fell into the floor.

"Guys, if you don't quit the doctor will come in and throw you out." Mai giggled and everyone started to laugh. No one noticed the dark gaze that was on Mai.

Naru felt something in the pit of stomach. Something that told him that he was glad that she was okay. He closed his eyes against the wave of memories that assaulted him. She had been so cold and limp when he finally dragged her to the surface of the water and when the others thrown him a rope to pull them out of the cold seawater. He had been so sure that she had left him. That she was like Gene. And something inside of him couldn't stand that thought.

"Hey, Mai?" Ayako suddenly towards the teenage girl. Mai tilted her head curiously waiting for Ayako to say something. "Did you see the 'Lady' before you fell over the railing?" the priestess asked. Mai shook her head with a frown on her face.

"No. I didn't feeling anybody staring at me either." she said and Ayako gave a soft sigh before turning towards Naru. He saw the glint in her eye that said she had figured something out.

"Naru, I think this ghost is playing with us. She's able to hide her presence when she wishes and she's only let's us know she's there when she _wants_ to take responsibility for her actions." Ayako explained. Everyone remained quiet for awhile before Martin spoke up.

"A colleague of mine may be able to help us. I believe he has encountered this type of phenomena. I'll see if I can contact him." Martin said and he saw his son nod in agreement.

"How long do I have to stay here?" Mai asked Naru. She suspected that he was probably the one that the doctor had been talking to. She also knew that he was the one that probably knew the answers.

"They haven't told me. However, what the doctor said sounded serious. I would suspect a day or two." Naru told her and she deflated slightly.

'I hate being in hospitals.' Mai thought. And it only made it worse that Naru thought she was going to be kept for a few days. She watched as he looked at Lin and Madoka and she gulped.

"Will you stay with Mai while the rest of us return to the ship?" he said. Lin and Madoka nodded. The others gave cries of indignation.

"Naru, we aren't going anywhere!" Takigawa said angrily as he stood his ground. He could feel himself began to wilt at the glare that Naru was giving him. He knew that the boy had a good reason.

"We need to investigate the deck where Mai was pushed off. Or would you rather Mai return to the ship and us not knowing what could happen?" Naru said coolly. Takigawa gave a soft sigh that clearly said he had given in to Naru's demands.

"We'll check on you before we return to the hotel, Mai." Masako told her and she nodded. She watched as everyone left, Martin and Luella being the last ones to leave.

"Why did you come back? You're supposed to be on your honeymoon." Mai told them and Madoka gave a small laugh before she tucked Mai in. The girl had laid down and there was no doubt in Madoka's mind that the younger girl was about to fall asleep. She wasn't wrong. A few moments later she was sound asleep.

"She has quiet the hold on Noll's heart, doesn't she?" Madoka whispered as she took a seat in a chair beside Mai's bed. She looked up at Lin. She saw he was looking at Mai affectionately before he nodded.

"Yes, she does. It would be easier if he just admitted it." he told her. She shrugged as she gently brushed Mai's forehead.

"I think he has in his own way. Returning to Japan with that sad excuse of 'large amounts of paranormal activity'." Madoka told him. Her face tinted as he reached over and took her hand.

"I hope you know that our honeymoon is just...shall we say..._postponed_?" he whispered in her ear. She blinked as the blush spread across her whole face and she focused on Mai's face.

"H-hai." she managed to whisper before he kissed her on the cheek and moved away from her. She felt him sit down beside her and then take her hand again. She turned to look at him and smile before moving her hand away from Mai's forehead as the girl slept soundly. She laid her head on his shoulder as they sat with Mai.

* * *

Mai looked around as she found herself standing on the deck of Antoinette's ship. That was the first hint that she had that she was dreaming. The fact that Gene was standing there watching was another big hint. She saw that he looked slightly worried as he approached her. She gasped as she was suddenly pulled into a tight hug. 

"I was worried about you." he whispered into her ear. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She appreciated the warmth that he had and wondered how someone that was dead _could_ be so warm.

'Why can't Naru treat me like Gene?' Mai thought as the older brother held her closely. Gene didn't want to let her go but knew that he knew that he needed to talk to her.

"Mai, listen to me. Ayako is right. This ghost is playing with all of us, including me. I don't know what she's planning. I thought I had her figured out. I was wrong." he told her and her eyes fell. She wiped her eyes as tears began to well.

"Then why...why is this happening?" Mai whispered. Gene tightened his hold around her. He knew this had to be hard on her. She was a sensitive person and she was feeling the pain of all the woman that had been killed.

"I don't know, Mai-chan. I'm trying to figure it out. I don't know why she's targeting different women and girls. So don't worry, Mai. We will figure this out and stop this ghost. I promise. Now get some rest." he smiled at her and she nodded. Her eyes began to slip close before she faded away from his arms and he closed his eyes as he felt her fade completely.

'Take care, Mai.' he thought before he sighed and turned back to the ship. It was time to get serious about the information.

* * *

"Is he still in his room?" Martin asked Luella as he entered the kitchen. His wife nodded as she washed the pans that she had used earlier to make dinner. 

"Yes. As far as I know he's planning on spending the night at the hospital." she replied. She looked at her husband as he gave a soft chuckle.

"When I saw how he was looking at her it didn't take me very long to understand _why_ he returned to Japan." he told her and Luella nodded in agreement.

"Mother, father." they looked up to see that Naru had entered the kitchen with a small suitcase in hand. Luella went over and wrapped her arms around her son. She felt him wrap his arms around her and she moved away and gently stroked his cheek.

"Noll, I want you to know that your father and I will always be behind you." she told him. He looked at her before nodding and the sighing.

"I'm heading to the hospital. I have my cell phone." he told them before turning on his heel and leaving. Luella exchanged a look with Martin and he shook his head.

"That boy is changing slowly but surely. And I believe that we both know who is responsible, don't we?" he asked. She just nodded before going over and hugging him gently.

"I'm so glad there's someone that can heal that void that was in his heart." Luella whispered before she pulled away. She blinked as Martin wiped away tears that she hadn't even realized she was shedding.

"Gene is watching over him." he told her and she nodded as a smile began to spread across her face.

* * *

Naru was sitting beside her bed. She had been sleeping for most of the day. The doctor had told him that he had given her a strong sedative so that she could get the rest that she needed. Naru knew he had to agree wit the doctor. 

He blinked as a figure began to form on the bed beside her. He watched as it continued to form until he was looking at a mirror image of himself. Only the ghost was smiling at him.

"Long time no see, Noll." Gene said with that soft smile of his. Naru smirked as he looked at his brother.

"Why don't you just move on?" Naru asked. Gene closed his eyes as he reached out and tried to touch Mai's head.

"I've tried. I've really tried but I can't." he told his brother. "And I think I know why. It's because I have a connection with Mai."

"And the only way to sever it..." Naru's eyes closed as he refused to think of the only way that could sever the connection.

"You understand, I'm sure. So listen closely, Noll. Mai doesn't love me. She loves you, there's no doubt in my mind about that. So start treating her right." Gene said before he disappeared. Naru glared at the spot where Gene had been sitting before he slumped down in his seat.

'Stupid Gene. What does he know anyway?' Naru thought.

'He apparently knows your heart rather well. Especially for a dead guy.' a voice said inside his head. Naru was still scowling when Mai woke up. Causing her to wonder what had made him so grouchy. The fact that she couldn't get a word from him made her realize that he was having a fit. And she didn't have the slightest clue why.

* * *

So this isn't really focused on the case. I thought it was better to focus on Naru worrying about Mai. So...that's all I suppose. Remember to review, everyone. I love reading what everyone thinks so...keep them coming because I'll keep reading them! 


	10. Ghost Ship: Chapter 9

Read AN at end. Ghost Hunt isn't mine.

* * *

"You never answered me yesterday." Mai said to Madoka. The woman looked up from the book that she had brought to read. Lin was back at the ship. She looked at Mai curiously, truly having no idea what the younger girl was talking about.

"What do you mean, Mai-chan?" she asked as she closed her book. She knew that when Mai started a conversation that she would be occupied for a while. The same was true for Gene, Madoka remembered fondly. The boy was the complete opposite of his brother and somehow he was the exact same.

"Your honeymoon. And why you came back from it just to see me." Mai pointed out. She saw Madoka reach up and twirl a strand of hair around her finger as she thought about it.

"Luella called us when we were halfway to Durham. We pulled over and she told me that you had been hurt and in the hospital. So I told Koujo and he agreed that we should return to London. We'll be going on our honeymoon after the case is solved anyway." Madoka blushed as she remembered the look Lin had given her as he reminded her once again that their honeymoon was only postponed. Mai giggled as she saw the blush that was spreading like a wild fire across Madoka's cheeks.

"I wonder if I'll blush as easily when I'm married." Mai said. She saw the look that Madoka was giving her and she gulped.

"I suppose it depends on what Noll says to you." Madoka watched in amusement as the girl squealed and tried to hide her cheeks. Madoka couldn't help but think that the girl was exactly what Naru needed in his life. And though she was sure he didn't realize it Mai was already changing him.

"Hey, you want something to drink? I'm kind of thirsty." Madoka said as she stood up and began to walk towards the door. Mai shook her head with a smile as the older woman slipped out of the room. Mai gave a small giggle at the woman's expense before she cuddled beneath the hospital issued blankets. She lay on the pillows and felt sleep overcome her.

* * *

Gene was getting rather frustrated. And that wasn't exactly something that was easily accomplished on his part. He growled as he lay on the deck of the ship. He looked up at the sky and felt his frustration continue to growl. For some reason the female ghost would have _nothing_ to do with him. And then sometimes she would act as though she wanted to contact him and then she would withdraw as quickly as she would come. 

'She usually tries to contact me before something happens to someone in the living world. Now that Mai's in the hospital I wonder where she'll turn her anger. I wonder if it'll be against Madoka...not that Mai can do much about it other than warn them. And it's to hard for me to contact Noll unless he's at a mirror.' Gene thought as he continued to stare up at the sky. A sudden image of Mai came to mind and he gave a soft sigh.

He had always heard that love decided to show up at the most ironic of moments. He had never really believed it. He did now. He knew what the feeling was that he got when Mai appeared before him with that smile on her face. That welcoming smile that she always had on her face. That smile she had given him the first time that they had met.

'Mai...' he had wished on more than one occasion that he was still alive. He would give everything to hold her just once in the real world. Just once to see her smile in the actual sunlight and see how it glinted on her hair. He gave a soft sigh. He shouldn't spend all his time wishing for what could never be.

He sat up and ran his hand through his hair before he pushed himself so that he was standing. He hadn't gone into a sleep since the second time Mai had visited him. He didn't know why. He had a feeling it was because something knew that he needed to stay awake the entire time. He felt a tingling on the back of his neck and felt a smile spread across his face. Mai would be joining him soon.

He knew that it would be painful when he finally _did_ cross over like his brother kept _kindly_ suggesting. He knew that she would miss him. He also knew that he held a part of her heart. It just so happened his brother held a bigger part. He began to head for the lower decks of the ship.

'Mai-chan...I wish I could tell you how I feel about you.' he thought. He knew he couldn't tell her. It would put her into an awkward position. What would she be able do? She wouldn't be able to do anything about it. It would only make her feel guilty about loving Naru. That was the last thing that he wanted. Naru needed Mai whether he wanted to admit it or not was entirely up to her.

"Mr.?" he whirled around at a child's voice. He saw a young boy peeking out of one of the rooms. The boy wasn't older than eight or nine and he looked scared. Gene gave him a kind smile as he walked towards him and kneeled in front of him.

"Hey, there. What are you doing here?" he asked cheerfully and he saw the boy loosen up and his body lost it's tension.

"I'm a ghost." the boy said brightly. Gene managed another smile. He had never met a ghost that was so happy about being dead. Gene knew that he hadn't been to thrilled about being a ghost.

"I can see that. What are you doing here?" he asked gently. The boy tilted his head to the side before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know. My mommy was angry at my daddy because he loved my aunt. My aunt was a really cool lady. My mom didn't want me around her but my aunt was always taking care of me. But anyway, one day mommy and me ate dinner and I felt really sick afterwards.

"I asked mommy why and she just smiled at me. She told me that my aunt and daddy would never take me away from her again." he said brightly. Gene felt something twist in his heart. The female ghost had killed her son because she thought he preferred her sister over her. Just like her husband had.

"Has your mommy hurt anyone else?" he asked carefully. He watched the little boy tilt his head before nodding. He suddenly looked sad. Gene reached out and placed his hand comfortingly on the boy's thin shoulder. The boy looked up with tears in his eyes.

"Mommy doesn't know that I'm here. She lure those nice ladies out of their rooms and hurts them really badly because they're happy." the boy said and Gene gave him a gentle smile.

"I know. I want you to do me a favor." he told the boy. He watched as the boy's face completely turned around. He was smiling. obviously thrilled at the fact that Gene wanted his help. Gene could remember when he had always been happy to help his father with something in the lab.

"Really?" the boy asked. Gene nodded as a smile spread across his face.

"Yes. I want you to come find me if you think your mommy is going to hurt another lady, okay?" the boy blinked before nodding. He looked at Gene curiously and Gene continued to smile.

"Are you going to help the lady?" he asked. Gene chuckled. He wished that he was able to _physically_ help whoever would be targeted. But he couldn't. That was why he was able to contact Mai. Because she would be able to tell the others and they would be able to do something about it.

"I know someone that I can talk to that can help her. But I need your help so that she can help the lady." Gene told him. The boy nodded before disappearing. Gene stood up and wondered what else he was supposed to do. Now that he had an informant he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't do anything but wait! It was getting annoying to a point. He flopped back down onto the floor and leaned against the wall of the hallway. He wasn't sure when he would see Mai again. He just hoped that he would have more information to give her than he already had.

* * *

"She's still asleep. Do you want me to have her call you?" Madoka asked Naru over the phone. Naru gave a soft sigh before he told her that he would come visit Mai after they finished for the day at the ship. Naru closed his cell phone before picking his clipboard up. He looked at Lin who was monitoring the computers. 

"I'm going to see how the cameras are doing. Matsuzaki-san and the others aren't coming in today on account of Mai being in the hospital." Naru told the man. Lin looked over shoulder and nodded. "I believe Mori...ah, Lin-sensei will be coming to the ship after they show up to sit with Mai."

"Very well." Lin told him. Naru turned away before he added his parting words.

"Take care of her or I'll make your life miserable." he told the older man before closing the door behind him. He made his way down to the lower decks. The task was slow and tedious but they needed the temperatures from each of the hallways and the rooms that Antoinette had told them had the most activity.

After he had collected all of the temperature reading he started to make his way back to the base. As he was halfway there his phone began to ring. He frowned before pulling the device out and saw that it was his mother that was calling. He answered cautiously, never knowing what to expect from his mother.

"Hello?" he asked and he heard her ragged breathing and he wondered briefly what was wrong.

"Noll, you need to come to the office, _now_." Luella demanded. "Yasuhara-san dropped the blueprints off on the way to the hospital. You have to see what is on them."

"Madoka should be coming to the ship soon. When she arrives I'll come and see what's on them." Naru told her. His mother agreed before hanging up and he tucked his cell phone back into his pocket before going back into the base.

He sat down in his chair and began to enter the temperatures into the computer and watched as the computer worked. It gave him a readout, telling him that the temperatures were lower in the lower decks. That wasn't unusual. But what was unusual was that though the temperatures _should_ be lower, they were freezing when they shouldn't have been.

"Lin, pull the recordings from the cameras that are on the lower decks and switch to thermal." Naru ordered. He heard the clicking of the computer keyboard as Lin began his task. Naru stood up and went over stood over the man's shoulder. They watched as the thermal cameras revealed that everything was blue and stayed that way for a while until a figure, a much darker blue figure, showed up and glided down the hallway before disappearing.

"There's nothing else, Noll. However, I've pulled the video for every day, and this always happens shortly after midnight." Lin told him. Naru nodded before they looked up as the door opened and Madoka stumbled in. They both blinked as she had a huge teddy bear, almost as big as she was, as she struggled to where they were. She dropped the large bear and sat down in a chair. Naru found that he didn't really want to know.

"Mother called me and told me to report to the office once you arrived, Lin- sensei." he told her. She nodded and they watched as he exited the base and she looked at Lin with a smile on her face. He was currently looking at her three foot yellow teddy bear that was sitting on the floor.

"Who on earth gave you that?" he asked. Madoka let out a little huff before she stood up and placed herself on his lap. He raised an eyebrow and she giggled at the expression on his face.

"Mai accidentally let it slip that I was pregnant. It came up because for some reason when they arrived at the hospital Ayako was making fun of Takigawa's first name. When they found out, they all went back to the gift shop. And came back with _that_." she pointed at the large bear and Lin chuckled.

"I suppose we'll need the van to get the thing home." he told her. He watched as her face grew soft as she put her head on his shoulder.

"Home. Together." she whispered and he smiled before he returned to his work. With her cradled against his chest rather comfortably.

* * *

"There you are, Noll!" Luella said happily as he entered the office. He saw that she was bent over a work table that had been set up in a corner. She waved him over and he went over. He looked over her shoulder as she pointed to a part of the ship that was drawn on the blue paper. 

"Look at this, Noll." she told him as she moved away. He looked at the place she was pointing at closer. He felt his eyes widen. There was a room on the blueprint that they hadn't found on the ship. He looked at his mother curiously and she gave a soft sigh.

"I read the notes that the architect had on the boat. It says that the room was hidden because the Captain and his wife had a young son, about eight years old. The son liked puzzles and hidden things. It doesn't tell how to get in the room but it did mention the names of the Captain and his wife.

"I did some more research." she finished. He watched as she disappeared into her office for a few moments before coming back out with a folder that had Antoinette's name written across it.

"What did you find?" he asked as he sat down with her on the couch that was usually provided for potential clients to allow them explain what was going on.

"Our female ghost. The Captain's name was Clarence Penton. He married the daughter of a prominent lawyer, an arranged marriage like we thought. Her name was Carol. They had a son named Jacob. Shortly after Jacob was born Carol invited her sister, Lily, to live with them because their father had died and Lily didn't have enough money to keep the house.

"However, from what I read Clarence and Lily were having quiet the affair. Carol committed suicide after the boat returned from it's first trip. And Jacob disappeared during the trip. Lily later bore a son with Clarence and they were married shortly afterwards." Luella told him before closing her folder.

"I read some of the articles on the suicide and marriage. Back then it was a horrid affair. Clarence was thought to have murdered Carol and make it look like a suicide. After he remarried he and Lily left with their son to Ireland to escape the prejudice and persecution." Luella finished before looking at Naru and he sighed before nodding.

"You've been very helpful mother. Has father contacted his colleague?" he asked as he began to stand up and she shook her head.

"No, I don't think he's tried yet. Have you heard when they'll release Mai from the hospital?" she asked and he smiled slightly. His mother was already attached to Mai. She had called him three times the previous night asking how the girl was.

"Yes, they're supposed to release her today after they finish some more tests on her." he told her. He saw his mother's eyes light up before he told her good-bye and left. He called the hospital again and was surprised when Masako was the on that answered Mai's phone.

"Quit! There's someone on the phone!" Masako scolded someone and Naru blinked. "Hello, Taniyama Mai's room." Masako said professionally and he shook his head before replying.

"Hara-san, is Mai available?" he asked.

"Yes, just a moment." she said. He heard the phone moving around and he heard loud chatter. He could just imagine what the hospital staff was going through having Ayako and Takigawa in the same room. The hospitals in Japan were used to it.

"Hello?" her voice came on and he felt something flare inside of him at the fact that she was _able_ to talk to him on the phone.

"Mai, have the doctors come in to see you?" he asked her. He heard her huff angrily and he could stop the smirk on his face as she gave him the usual hot reply, though it still gave him the information he required.

"Would it kill you to be more cordial?! For your information, they have come in to talk to me! They said I can come home when you come to pick me up later. Though they told me to avoid undue stress and riding in a car with you would cause that!!" she told him and he rolled his eyes. Mai was going to be just fine. She was already back to her normal self.

* * *

Later that day Naru entered Mai's hospital room to find that she was sitting on the bed and obviously ready to go. He saw that there was a clipboard beside her and she jumped up when she saw that he had entered the room. 

"I've signed all the papers, can we go now?" she was eager to get out of the hospital. Naru remembered one time that when he had been the hospital and Mai had been the only one in the room that she had been rather jumpy. Getting annoyed he asked her if she could be still. She had told him that she wasn't very fond of hospitals.

"Yes, and if it makes you feel better, my father came and got the van because one of his other investigators needed it. Lin and Madoka are taking us back to the house." he told her. He watched as her face split into a wide grin. He shook his head before following her out of the hospital.

They headed towards Lin's car and he raised an eyebrow as he saw that Lin and Madoka were being rather friendly. He looked at Mai and saw that she was trying to not laugh as she looked at him. He smirked at her as he reached out for the backdoor on the passenger's side Mai slipped into the backseat and Naru followed her. He slammed to door shut and the couple in the front jumped apart.

"Hello, Madoka! Lin-san!" Mai said cheerfully before Naru could make an scathing marks about the two getting a room. She knew Madoka's temper and would rather avoid having to go back to the hospital because Naru had a concussion even though it could help his personality.

"Hello, Mai, how are you feeling?" Madoka asked and Mai shrugged her shoulders before she looked around the car in confusion.

"Where's that bear?" she asked as Lin pulled out of the parking spot and Madoka turned to look at her.

"In the trunk. Lin's trunk is bigger than mine." Madoka said brightly. Mai giggled as she remembered the look that had been on Madoka's face when John and Takigawa had carried the large bear in.

"Okay." the rest of the ride was silent. Mai blushed every time Lin turned or took a curve as she would slide against Naru slightly or vice versa. Her heart was beating so rapidly that she wondered if he could hear it. She hoped not. She soon fell asleep against his shoulder and missed the rest of the rest of the ride to his house.

"Mai, wake up!" Naru shook her shoulder but she just remained oblivious to the world. Naru reached out and began to unbuckle her before began to pick her up as he would a child that had fallen asleep. He froze as she muttered a name.

"Gene..." she whispered before giggling and Naru pulled back. He backed out of the car and turned to Lin before telling him to get Mai. He disappeared into the house and ignored his mother and father. Something inside of him had gone numb. He knew Mai dreamt of Gene. He knew that she liked his twin brother. That didn't stop him from being jealous that when he touched her his brother's name spilt from her lips.

* * *

So things are beginning to heat up. I wonder which triangle will be targetted? Catherine hasn't shown up again and Naru seems to think Mai loves Gene. I guess you'll just have to wait and find out! Remember to review! Kieno0324 out! 


	11. Ghost Ship: Chapter 10

Mai wondered what had Naru in such a raw mood the next morning. He wasn't talking to anyone. And when anyone tried to talk to him he would give them such a glare that would cause them to back away slowly before tuning and running away as fast as they could. She set his cup of tea down in front of him and when he continued to ignore her she turned her back and made her way to the table that they had set up so that she could do her homework.

'Naru's birthday is coming soon. He'll be eighteen. I bet Luella and Martin will throw him a big party. Not that he would want it.' Mai thought as she began to work on her math. Naru had given her permission to do her work that morning as he believed all they would be doing was watching yet again. There had been no activity the day before.

"Want some help?" Madoka asked as she and Ayako sat down. Mai closed her book and shook her head.

"No, I appreciate the interruption though. Besides I have my math homework done so it doesn't really matter. I was just checking over the answers." she told them with a bright smile before looking over her shoulder at a still angry looking Naru. She sighed before turning back towards the two woman.

"Do you know why Naru is so angry?" she asked softly so that the man wouldn't be able to hear them.

"I don't know. He is rather cold today. I left their little group in hopes to not be near him so much." Ayako said as she looked over at the other Irregulars that were crowded around another table not far away from Lin and Naru.

"I didn't hear you, but Koujo said that when I went into the house and Naru tried to carry you from the car that you said Gene's name." Madoka whispered. She watched as Mai's face fell before the girl wiped at her tears. Madoka looked at Ayako and the miko nodded. They both stood up and dragged Mai out of her seat before taking her out of the base.

They allowed Mai to sit down on one of the sun chairs that Antoinette had placed on the deck. Apparently her father had insisted that work start again on the ship, thinking his daughter was crazy for thinking the ship was haunted. So they now had to deal with the workers. It could add to Naru's bad mood but Madoka had a feeling it was more to do with what had transpired the night before.

"Mai-chan?" Ayako asked as they sat down on each side of the distressed girl as she kept her hands over her face. Madoka shared a look with Ayako and the younger woman shook her head as she rubbed Mai's back.

"I didn't even _know_ he had a brother." she finally whispered hoarsely. The two woman remained silent as they were afraid to interrupt and stop her from saying anything else. "I always thought that I was seeing a figment of my imagination, a nicer version of Naru. Then...then I found out that he _wasn't_ Naru but a completely different person. I was so confused!"

"Oh, Mai...it's alright. Anyone that didn't know they were twins would have thought they were the same person if they had seen them at separate times!" Madoka tried to comfort the now crying girl. Mai shook her head, obviously not wanting the excuse.

"But Madoka...Naru thinks I love Gene." she sobbed. Madoka wrapped her arms around the girl as Ayako patted the young girl's back. Madoka gave a soft sigh before looking at Ayako and then back at the girl that she was holding.

"I'm going to go in and get your things Mai and then we'll go back to my apartment. I have some packing to do and we can talk. I assume you're coming with us, Ayako?" Madoka asked. Ayako nodded and Madoka got up and left. Ayako reached out and gently grasped Mai's shoulder. She gave the younger girl an encouraging smile and Mai returned it weakly.

"Don't worry about it, Mai. Naru will get over himself eventually." Ayako assured her and Mai just giggled. They looked up as they heard footsteps and Madoka was standing in front of them. She handed Mai her book bag and the girl smiled gratefully.

Thirty minutes later they were standing in Madoka's living room. The two older women went into the kitchen. Mai noticed pictures sitting on some of the tables. She felt a smile spread across her face as she picked one frame up. Inside was a picture of what she assumed was Naru and Gene. Naru, believe it or not, was laughing at Gene who looked soaked. Mai noticed the pool behind the two boys and she had a feeling she knew what had happened. From the expression on both their faces Mai suspected that Naru had pushed Gene into the pool.

'No wonder he doesn't like water.' Mai thought as she set the picture up. She noticed another frame and picked it up. She felt another grin spread across her face as she saw a younger version of Madoka and Lin in the frame. She felt her eyebrows shoot up as she saw that Lin wasn't dressed in his normal suit but a school uniform.

"Ah, I see you found my pictures." Madoka said. Mai giggled before she put the picture and turned around to look at the woman. She took the cup of tea that Madoka had brought her.

"Lin-san doesn't look very different from when he was a teenager." Mai said as all three of them sat down.

"Lin-san was a teenager?" Ayako asked. They all laughed at the question. Mai could see where Ayako was coming from. Teenagers tended to have mood swings, and Lin showing any type of mood didn't seem to sit very well.

"His personality was very much the same as it was then. He was a very quiet person that was always in the library. No one really understood why I was always with him." Madoka said brightly before taking a sip of her own tea.

"You two are definitely opposites. I would have never had you two dubbed as a couple." Ayako mentioned. Mai saw the blush that was on Madoka's face before a brilliant idea struck her.

"Madoka, how did you and Lin-san meet?" Mai asked curiously. Madoka bit her lip before laughing as she remembered her first encounter with the Chinese man.

"Well, I was an assistant to Noll's mother when I was fourteen years old. I was rushing around gathering files for her to look at. Anyway, Martin had just hired Lin for our Curses division, he's a very skilled onmyouji as you know. Anyway, I was rushing around like the teenager I was.

"Lin was coming out of the office that he had been given, pretty impressive for a fifteen year old until we met Noll that is. I had about fifteen files in my arms, so I couldn't see where I was going and I crashed right into him. He helped me pick the folders up before looking at me with the coldest look I had ever seen in my entire life.

"He told me 'I don't like the Japanese'." she shook her head. She saw the look on Mai's face and knew that he had given her the same speech. "I remember just kind of looking at him for a minute. Then I turned on my heel and began to walk away before I turned and looked him. I told him that just because he didn't like the Japanese didn't mean he had to hate me. I told him that I wouldn't leave him alone until he changed his mind." she said brightly.

"I guess he never told you that he changed his mind." Ayako told her and Madoka shook her head.

"Nope. Luella always told me that he never told me whether or not he changed his mind because he liked my company. I always told her she was crazy. At least until..." Madoka trailed off and shook her head. Mai could see the tears in Madoka's eyes and she looked at Ayako worried.

"Madoka?" the priestess asked gently. Madoka laughed and wiped at her tears with her left hand, the light glinting off her engagement ring and wedding band.

"He and one of my good friends started dating...nothing serious as far as anyone knew. They got along well enough. I was quiet the ease dropper and I listened in on him and his girlfriend one day when they were in the office together. She asked him if he'd every like someone that was Japanese.

"He told her that he would never like a person of Japanese descent. I think he heard me let out a gasp. Things went from there, I suppose. He apologized and told me that I was different from the other Japanese that he had met." she finished and Ayako gave a small laugh as Mai continued to look at Madoka curiously.

"Hey, Madoka...the girl that was dating Lin-san. It wasn't Catherine, was it?" Mai asked. Madoka looked at her curiously before nodding.

"It was. That was the reason I wanted to wait to announce the engagement. I knew Catherine before I met Antoinette. Their parents had gotten divorced earlier that year and Antoinette had moved with her mother to France before returning to England to go to school.

"Anyway, I knew that she cared for him deeply and I felt badly that he broke up with her because of me. But to be honest she never seemed _bothered_ by the fact that he had done that. I just felt obligated to break the engagement to her gently before we announced it to everyone else. I didn't want to hurt her." Madoka said before she stood up and gathered the teacups and went back to the kitchen. Mai looked at Ayako wide eyed.

"Does that story sound familiar?" she asked softly. Ayako nodded.

"Yeah. Lin was with Catherine yet he was in love with Madoka. He broke up with Catherine to be with Madoka." Ayako said and Mai nodded.

"Yeah, and like Lily, Madoka's pregnant. Do you think the baby could be in danger?" Mai whispered in sudden fear. Ayako frowned before nodding slowly in reply.

"Probably. After all, Carol knew about the affair so she undoubtedly knew about the pregnancy. And I'm sure that her spirit wasn't very happy about it." Mai whispered before Madoka reentered the room. Mai looked at Ayako and the woman nodded in agreement.

"Madoka, maybe you should sit down. Mai and I were talking about the case and we really think that you need to be extra careful." Ayako told her. Madoka sat down and looked at her curiously and tilted her head curiously at the slightly scared looks on her friends' faces.

"What are you worried about? We know what the ghost is after, I know she's after me." Madoka said. She looked at Ayako curiously as the doctor reached out and gently placed her hands over Madoka's.

"The baby. I looked at when Lily was pregnant with Clarence's baby. She was at least two months pregnant when her sister committed suicide. And Mai and I are certain that Carol knew about the pregnancy. Madoka, I think everyone would be more comfortable if you stayed off this case." Ayako whispered softly and Madoka smiled at her before patting the top of Ayako's hands.

"I'll be fine, Ayako. I'm three months along and about to hit my fourth month. So I'm farther along that Lily was which makes me different, right?" Madoka asked. Mai nodded before looking at Ayako who looked unconvinced.

"Promise you'll be careful. I think you should stay in the base with Naru and Lin." the minute Ayako said Naru's name Mai's face grew dark as she looked away.

"Jerk." she muttered. The two other women laughed and she looked over at them and shook her head.

"Make fun of me why don't you? Neither of you have a narcissistic boss that can't take a _hint_. " Mai huffed angrily and they all laughed. Mai looked at Madoka who gave her a gentle smile.

"Why don't you go lay down and try to get some rest. You look tired." Madoka suggested. Mai tried to protest saying that she wanted to help her out but Madoka refused saying that she needed to help with the packing. She realized that she was being outnumbered when even Ayako said that she looked tired. Mai finally gave up before going into the bedroom and curling up on the bed. She was soon fast asleep.

* * *

Gene smiled when Mai appeared in front of him. He was glad to see her again, even though he knew it would be for a short time. He was slightly worried when he saw that she wasn't smiling as brightly as normal when she was completely in front of him. All the information he had found out was conveniently forgotten as he was more focused on the reason that Mai looked slightly depressed.

"What's with that face?" he asked. She tried to hide her sadness about Naru from Gene. She saw that he was able to see right through her and she gave a soft sigh before shaking her head.

"It's nothing. It's just Naru being Naru. I really should be used to it by now but I'm not." Mai whispered softly. Gene chuckled before shrugging his shoulders and she looked up at him curiously.

"I suppose I just got used to it. I did live with him for fifteen years." Gene said with a smile on his face.

"Actually, 'put up with him' sounds like a better explanation." Mai grumbled and Gene couldn't help but chuckle. He could see how much Mai cared for his younger brother and though he couldn't help but be jealous he was glad that his brother had someone that cared for him so much.

"I suppose. Now, come on. What did he do this time, anyway?" he asked. She looked up at him before shaking her head.

"Being an all around grouch. Last night I had a normal dream with the both of you in it. Apparently I said your name and Naru heard. Now he's completely ignoring me and everyone else for that matter." she said sadly. Gene reached out and patted her shoulder before gently taking her hand.

"There's someone that you need to meet." Gene told her. She looked at him curiously before finally nodding in agreement. She realized that if she threw herself into her work that she wouldn't have to think about Naru. Or how stupid he was being.

"Who?" she asked curiously as he led her down into the lower decks. They stopped in the middle of one of the hallways. She looked around curiously before her eyes returned to Gene who was smiling gently.

"Jacob, could you come out here for a moment?" Gene called softly. Mai blinked in realization.

'Jacob? Wasn't that the name of Carol and Clarence's son? The one that nobody could find?' Mai thought. She gasped as an apparition suddenly appeared in front of them with a smile on his face. She realized with a sense of sadness that the boy was very young, the age that Jacob had been when he had disappeared.

"Jacob, do you remember how I told you that I knew someone that could help the ladies?" Gene asked the ghost child. Jacob nodded with a smile in his face. Gene pulled Mai up to stand beside him and she found herself staring into deep brown eyes that belonged to the little boy.

"This is Mai Taniyama. She's going to help me figure out why your mommy wants to hurt all those nice ladies." Gene told him and the boy nodded. Mai gave him a gentle smile and he returned it.

"Okay! I haven't been able to find my mommy yet and I don't know what she's up to." Jacob said sadly. Mai reached out and gently put her hand on the boy's shoulder and he looked up at her surprised. She smiled at him.

"The fact that you're trying means everything, Jacob." she told him and he smiled at her. She looked at Gene and he tilted his head with that smile on his face. He looked happy she realized. Naru _never_ looked that way around her. She looked away as tears threatened to spill. Jacob disappeared but she knew that Gene had seen her tears.

"Noll has always been stubborn, Mai." he told her. She gave him a smile and blushed slightly when he wiped her tears away. She sniffled before nodding and then feeling the tugging on the back of her mind that told her that she would be waking up.

"I suppose I'll see you soon." she whispered and he nodded. He watched her go and once she was gone he let out a sigh.

'What a tangled web we weave.' he couldn't help but think. It was terrible. His brother had never been good with relationships with others. Gene knew that Naru preferred books over people. Gene also knew that if Naru didn't wake-up soon that Mai would eventually give up, no matter how much it hurt her heart.

* * *

"Are you nervous?" Ayako asked as she wrapped one of Madoka's China plates in tissue paper. She watched as Madoka put her coffee pot in another box. Madoka turned and looked at the female doctor/priestess before shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm not really sure. It's unnerving to think I'm having a baby. I suppose I'm more excited than nervous." Madoka replied with a smile. Ayako laughed before starting to wrap another plate and setting it into the box as well.

"Do you think Naru will ever open his eyes?" Ayako asked. She closed the box and taped it shut. With Madoka's help they carried it out into the living room and set it where the rest of the boxes were waiting to be moved.

"Noll has always been stubborn. He refused to go to Japan with Gene because he thought Gene was being stupid. Sometimes he's to stubborn for his own good and for those around him.

"When he came back to England after finding Gene's body he was the grouchiest person on the face of the planet. Martin and Luella couldn't figure out why but Lin and I knew very well what was going on. Noll was angry that Mai wasn't there. Or maybe a better explanation was that he _missed_ Mai. No surprise that three months later he was back in Japan." Madoka said. Ayako nodded. They had all been surprised that the boy had returned. Mai had seemed relieved.

"I have to say that he is still one of the grouchiest people that I have ever met." Ayako commented and Madoka giggled. The priestess was right. Even with Mai around the scientist seemed to be rather grouchy. However it wasn't nearly as bad when Mai was around.

"I bet he was so grouchy this morning because of what happened last night. Probably because he thinks that Gene is trying to take Mai away from him." Madoka suddenly whispered. Ayako blinked before shaking her head.

"He's an idiot then. He should realize that Gene is the _last _person that would be able to take Mai away." Ayako said. Madoka nodded in agreement.

"You're right. The only way for Mai and Gene to be together is if Mai dies. And Gene wouldn't want that. He was to kind in life to wish that on anyone. I doubt he changed in death from the way that Mai described him." Madoka said before they heard movement in her bedroom. Moments later Mai was exiting the room looking well rested.

"Hey, there. Ready to go back and face the iceberg called Naru?" Madoka asked curiously.

"Not really, but it is my job." she told them. The two ladies laughed before nodding in agreement. They were soon on their way back to the ship with Mai silently wishing that Naru was in a better mood than he had been in earlier that day.

* * *

Even Naru felt tired. They had been staring at the screens for the past two hours and nothing had happened so far. He wondered when the workers were going to go on break as their hammers were giving him a terrible headache. Which wasn't easy as Naru rarely ever got headaches.

'I hate construction.' Naru thought as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He peeked at Lin and saw from the look on the Chinese man's face that he would like nothing more than to curse the hammer into oblivion.

"Argh!! That's it!!" Takigawa jumped up and tried to leave the base but John and Yasuhara grabbed his arms and forced him to sit back down, although they both looked frazzled as well. Masako had her head on a table with her hands covering her ears in an attempt to block out the sound.

"We're back!" Madoka called as they entered the base. All three girls stopped and Ayako looked around trying to find the noise.

"What on earth is that horrid noise?!" she cried.

"_That_ is the renovators that can't stop using that blasted hammer and drill!!" Takigawa snapped. Mai went over and quickly made tea before delivering it to everyone that was looking irate.

"How long are they supposed to be here?" Mai asked. She blinked as Lin looked over his shoulder at her. He was looking rather angry and Mai gulped. She had never seen that look on Lin's face. She was just glad that it wasn't really directed at her.

"For another two hours." he growled. Mai bit her lip before looking around at the others before a brilliant idea struck her.

"Why don't we go sightseeing?! Naru, Lin, and Madoka could take us around to some of the most famous English sites! That will give the renovators time to get done and then we can come back and start working." Mai suggested. Even Naru had agreed to just get away from the insistent hammering.

They were walking towards the cars before Madoka suddenly froze. Mai looked over her shoulder as Lin stood by Madoka looking at her worried. Mai thought the woman looked rather pale. Mai and Ayako approached the frozen woman before Ayako reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Madoka, what's wrong?" Ayako asked softly. Madoka suddenly bent over with her arms cross over her stomach and Lin was supporting her so that she didn't fall to the ground. "Madoka, what's wrong?" Ayako repeated in a much more professional voice.

"My...my stomach..." Madoka whispered. Mai felt her face pale as she looked at Lin who looked extremely pale.

"Takigawa, call an ambulance!!" Ayako shouted over her shoulder before turning back to Madoka. Mai watched as the red headed woman tried to calm down the sobbing woman. Mai looked up as Jacob suddenly materialized in front of her and was looking at the boat.

She looked around and realized that she was the only one that could see the angry looking ghost boy. He didn't seem to notice that she was standing there looking at him as she looked at the boat. What was he doing?

"LEAVE HER ALONE!! LEAVE THE BABY ALONE!!! LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!" the boy screamed. Mai felt her heart stop as the boat vibrated before stopping.

Madoka straightened up for a moment and Mai thought the woman was alright. Before Madoka pitched forward and Lin caught her.

"Madoka!!" Mai cried in despair. 'This can't be happening! Please, somebody, help her! Please, don't let this happen!'

* * *

Well, here's the next update. I suppose this is a rather mean cliffhanger but this was the best place to end it. Anyway, REVIEW!!! It's what makes authors happy, I promise you. And when authors are happy, our muses tend to work a lot better! Kieno0324 


	12. Ghost Ship: Chapter 11

Mai was twitching as she sat in the waiting room beside Naru. She could see that even he looked slightly pale. Lin had his head in his hands and Takigawa was trying to comfort the man. She couldn't imagine what the man was going through. His wife was unconscious and the doctors had asked if she was pregnant when she was brought into the hospital.

"Mai, calm down." Naru whispered to her. His voice wasn't the normal cool tone. She looked up at him with a worried look before she twisted her hands into her skirt. She felt like an idiot.

"This is my fault. If I hadn't agreed to come back to the ship we would still be at her apartment and she'd be safe." Mai whispered as tears began to threaten. She felt an arm around her shoulder and she looked up. She was surprised to see Masako trying to smile at her, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Mai, no one could've known that the ghost would try to go after Madoka with such a vengeance. I've never seen a ghost so determined to hurt the living before in my entire time of doing my job." the psychic tried to reassure the young teenage girl.

"Oh, Masako." Mai whispered before she buried her head against the psychic's shoulder as she sobbed. Masako gently rubbed the distressed girl's back. Everyone was upset about what had happened to Madoka. Masako wasn't sure about what had happened, she hadn't _sensed_ the 'Lady' although she had sensed a different spirit, though she still wasn't sure what it was.

"Mr. Lin?" everyone looked up at the sound of the doctor's voice. She didn't look upset, Mai thought. Maybe she had good news for them. Mai's hand clasped together as she prayed for the good news.

"Mrs. Lin will be fine." Mai saw Lin sway slightly and Takigawa and Naru steadied him. Mai felt relief flood through her. But slowly the worry began to seep back in as she realized that the doctor hadn't said anything about the baby.

"And what about Madoka's pregnancy?" Lin asked softly. Mai felt her heart clench at the broken look that was on Lin's face. He was worried about his wife and child he just wasn't sure how to show it.

"The baby will be fine. Some women will experience severe abdominal pain in their first three to four months of the pregnancy. However, I don't hesitate to tell you how close she came to miscarrying. I want her to avoid all the stress that is possible." the doctor told them and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Can we see her?" Mai asked. The doctor gave her a kind smile before shaking her head.

"We're only letting close family see her right now. Mr. Lin, if you'll follow me?" the doctor said kindly. They all watched Lin disappear down the hall with the doctor before Mai collapsed in her seat. She was so relieved that Madoka would be alright.

"Hey, let's go get something to eat and leave those two alone." Takigawa whispered to everyone as Naru sat down beside Mai. Everyone nodded in agreement before quietly leaving the two alone.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked her uncharacteristically. She looked at him surprised before dropping her gaze. She was still crying she realized. She wiped at her tears in an attempt to dry her face. It didn't hide her tears. She looked up as Naru handed her a tissue from the table that held magazines and a tissue box in the waiting room.

"Thanks." she muttered into the tissue. She wiped at her eyes before looking back up and she took a deep breath. She had to tell Naru what Gene had showed and told her. It would help the case, that much she knew.

"Naru, when I was at Madoka's house I had a dream. Gene met Carol's son, Jacob. He's a ghost on the ship as well. And he isn't very happy with his mother for hurting all those women. I actually think he stopped his mother from making Madoka miscarry." Mai whispered before she looked up at the Naru with wide eyes. "I want to find his room. I think that's where his mother hid his body."

"Indeed. However, we can't get into that room until Catherine decides to resurface with the key." he told her and she gave a soft sigh before looking at him with a look that he really didn't like. Which was unusual for him.

"There are tools on the boat from the renovation, Naru. We can take the door off and look for that secret room! Jacob _deserves_ to move on. It isn't his fault that his mother was such a jealous idiot that she had to kill her son just so that he wouldn't spend time with his aunt and dad!" she told him angrily. Naru realized that if he didn't agree to go along with her plan that she would do it by herself and probably end up hurting herself.

"Fine." he gave in. He wondered at the fact that if he hadn't agreed that she would've pressed him until he either agreed or she told him that she was doing it whether he liked it or not. And he would have to go save her from whatever mess she would get herself into.

"Okay!" she said brightly before grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the waiting room. He sighed silently. He sometimes had to wonder how she was able to change moods so quickly. So much like Gene that he could see how they could get along so well.

* * *

Madoka was looking at Lin as he sat in the chair beside her hospital bed. She was holding his hand tightly. She had never felt so scared in her entire life. The doctor wouldn't tell her anything and had just brought Lin into the room. He looked pale but not exactly upset.

"What did the doctor tell you, Kou-kun?" she asked him worriedly. He gave her a soft smile before covering their clasped hands with his free hand. She looked at him as tears began to well in her eyes.

"That you and the baby are fine. You need to avoid any undue stress. Which means that you need to get off this case." he told her. She looked down at her knees that were covered by the hospital issued blanket.

"I can't. This is my best friend. I have to be on this case, Kou-kun. I'm not leaving this." Madoka insisted. Lin reached out and brushed her cheek causing her to look into his eyes.

"I care for both Catherine and Antoinette. But I care for you much more, Madoka, and our child. I don't want to see you like this ever again. You scared me to death when you collapsed back there." he told her. She bit her lip before closing her eyes as tears began to slowly trail down her cheeks.

"I want to help them! I...this job...I was supposed to help people with their ghost problems...and I can't seem to do my job!" she whispered dejectedly. Lin moved so that he was sitting on the bed beside her. He drew her into his arms and held the distressed woman in his arms.

"Madoka, look at me." she pulled back slightly and looked up at him curiously. "I don't want to come that close to losing you or the baby again. You scared the life out of me."

"I know, Koujo. I want to protect this baby but at the same time I want to help my friend. I don't know what I'm supposed to do." she whispered. She felt Lin tilt her head and she was looking into his eyes. Eyes that were smiling at her gently she realized. She smiled back at him before resting her head against his shoulder.

"I know this may sound harsh. But our family, however small it may be at the current moment," his hand rested on her stomach before he continued, "is more important than any case will be. No matter if it's our friend's ship or our boss's house."

"Oh, Koujo!" she whispered before wrapping her arms around his waist and keeping her face hid in his chest. She had never felt so happy and safe in her entire life when she was with him.

* * *

"All you have to do is use the screwdriver to take the screws out so that we can open the door." Mai said cheerfully as Naru looked down at the tool in his hand and then at the door handle. He looked at Mai with a raised eyebrow before shaking his head in exasperation.

"What do they teach you at that school? Breaking and Entering for Beginners?" he asked and she rolled her eyes before pointing at the door.

"Shut up! We need to this for that little boy. I'm convinced that after what the doctor said that he was the one that kept the ghost from taking Madoka's baby away from her." Mai whispered softly. Naru got down on his knees and began to work on the handle before it fell off in his hand. He put the handle and tool down before opening the door.

"The light switch should be around here somewhere. Antoinette said this was one of the few rooms that had electricity in it." Mai said as her hand groped the wall looking for the switch. She soon found it and flipped it upwards causing light to flood the room and there on the wall was the picture of Carol.

"She was so pretty." Mai whispered and Naru looked at the picture before scowling at the portrait of the woman that was causing everyone so much trouble.

"Beauty is only in the eye of the beholder." he told her and she looked at him shocked. She saw that he wasn't to happy as he looked at the picture. She realized that he was angry that the ghost had attacked his former mentor and her unborn child.

"I suppose. We need to look for something that looks out of place." Mai told him and Naru raised an eyebrow at her.

"You're the one telling me what to do?" he asked and she blushed slightly before turning away.

"I just want to help the boy." she defended herself before she began to look around for anything. Her eyes kept returning to the painting and she frowned. She looked over her shoulder at Naru and saw that he was examining the desk. She slowly went over to the painting and looked at it closely. She noticed that a leg of the chair that Carol was sitting in looked different than the other three.

She touched the leg and realized that it was denser. She pressed down hard on the leg and whirled around as she heard a scraping noise. She moved over to Naru as another room had opened up next to the desk that he had been looking at.

"Jacob's room." Mai whispered. Naru walked in carefully with Mai trailing behind. She gasped in horror as she saw the bones laying on the bed. She turned away from the skeleton remains that were Jacob. She felt a sob building up in her throat before Naru gently moved her out of the room and she heard the secret door closing.

"How...how could someone do that to their own child?!" Mai whimpered before the sobs came full force. Naru gently stroked her back and waited for her to calm down. He knew that she was a very sensitive person. She felt the pain of others and sadness for others. He sometimes wished that she wasn't so sensitive. He wouldn't have to see her upset on the cases like she became most of the time if the ghost made their presence known to her.

"Let's get out of here." he told her. He enjoyed the look of surprise that crossed her face as she wiped at her tears. It made her look adorable. Of course in his mind, though he would never admit it out loud, she was always adorable.

"Did you just say you wanted to leave a place that you're investigating?" she asked him and he tilted his head before nodding.

"You're obviously upset and won't be able to work. My other assistant is at the hospital with his wife. There's no point to continue today. The equipment is locked up in the base." he told her and she nodded. She looked at him shyly as a thought struck her and she felt a tint on her cheeks as she realized that others would think her request would be more of a date.

"Can we go see 'Big Ben'? Everyone in my class talks about it. And since I'm in England...I was kind of hoping to go see it." she requested. She saw him shake his head before smirking at her. She felt her blush spread down her neck at the look that was on his face.

"Fine." he told her before leading her out of the room. They ignored the doorknob deciding that they would blame the ghost for the sabotage. After all their mission had been accomplished.

* * *

Mai was surprised that the next day she and Naru entered the base that Madoka was sitting at the monitoring table. Mai looked at Lin who was sitting by Madoka and he just shook his head.

"She refused to stay home. I made her promise to stay in the base at all times. Ayako called and John is rather ill, apparently he ate something that didn't agree with him. They're supposed to come in later." Lin told them and Mai nodded before Naru told her to go gather the tapes. She gave a soft sigh before nodding. She was surprised when Madoka jumped up from her seat.

"Sit down!" Lin ordered and Madoka sat back down. "You aren't going anywhere, Madoka Lin."

"She shouldn't go anywhere by herself, either!" Madoka shot back indignantly and Lin sighed. He stood up and went over to where Mai was waiting and watching.

"Fine, I'll go with her. You either stay here or you go home. It's bad enough that you came." he told her before following Mai out of the room. Mai looked at Lin and couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face.

"You really love her, don't you, Lin-san?" she asked him. She saw his eyes widen slightly before turning his head slightly and refusing to look at her. "Aw, Lin-san, you don't have to be embarrassed about it. I mean come on, you're a husband and about to become probably one of the most awesome dads in the whole world."

"Thank you, Mai-chan." he told her and she couldn't help but giggle at the still embarrassed look that was on his face. She knew that it was unusual for him to be embarrassed but she also knew that what she had said was true. She wasn't certain whether he knew it or not yet but she was certain that he would figure it out.

"How exactly did Madoka convince you to let her come back here after being in the hospital for that short time?" Mai asked him curiously.

"She didn't. I woke up this morning and got ready as quietly as I could. I went down to the vehicle and there she was, sitting wide awake in the passenger's seat. She refused to get out and when I tried to remove her she tried to bite me. I made her promise to stay in the base. Although I doubt that will last very long." he said with a sigh. Mai gave a small giggle before she went and got the first tape and replaced it with another tape that Lin had grabbed on his way out of the base.

"That sounds like Madoka. I kind of wish that she had stayed home though. The ghost seems to want to hurt her." Mai whispered sadly and she heard Lin sighed. She looked over at the older man and he nodded.

"I've tried every tactic in the book, from a guilt trip to forbidding her. She won't listen. I don't want to see her or the baby get hurt but Madoka is her own person, even though she is my wife. Even if she gets hurt, I'll be the first person there, trying to help her." he said. Mai smiled at him. They quickly finished their task and when they returned to the base Mai saw that Madoka was sleeping soundly on the cot.

"I have some observations that need to be typed up. They're sitting on the table over there." Naru motioned to a small table beside the cot Madoka was on. Mai felt a smile spread across his face. Though it wasn't very much it was Naru's way of telling Lin that he needed to be by his wife. Even though it was very subtle.

"Hey, Naru-chan. Do you think maybe Carol is just searching for her son? She could be attacking all those ladies because they remind of her sister and she thought that her sister was trying to take her son away?" Mai asked as she sat down in the seat that Lin had vacated nearly half an hour earlier.

"That's a very good observation Mai. I don't believe that's the reason that she's haunting the ship though. She is the one that killed her son and knows where he is." Naru told her and Mai frowned.

"But not his spirit. If she thinks that he hasn't moved on then she could be looking for that. I mean on that second case I helped with that was the ghost wanted and the reason that she was threatening and killing those children." Mai pointed out. Naru frowned, she was making a good point.

"You're right. However, the fact that she attacks women in a _happy_ relationship makes that argument weak. If she attacked just women that were like her sister then there should at least be one or two women that weren't in a relationship." he told her. Mai frowned before finally nodding in agreement.

"You were always telling me to look for alternate theories should one fall through." she told him. He gave a shadow of a smile and gave her a small nod.

"Yes, and you're theory is a strong one, Mai. However, we both know from what we saw that the only thing that child got from his mother was jealously because he preferred his father and aunt's company over hers. Chances are that she spent very little time with her son and yet he still trusted her enough when she made him that meal that took his life away." Naru told her. She looked away as tears threatened her eyes once again. Naru was right. The woman couldn't possibly care about what had happened to her son after having killed him and hiding his body so that no one could find him because of the room that he had wanted hidden in a puzzle.

'It's horrible.' Mai thought before she felt a calling in the back of her mind. She laid her head down on her crossed arms and fell asleep slowly until she was completely gone from the world.

Naru glanced at her and gave a soft sigh. She was dreaming about Gene, he knew that. And he hated that. He knew who she would prefer over the two of them. Gene was kinder to her and was able to understand why she felt what she felt so much easier. Naru had, on more than one occasion, thought that the only reason Mai stuck around was because he was the exact replica of Gene. It had hurt to think it and he had pushed it to the back of his mind refusing to think of it.

He stood up and took his coat off. He gently placed it around Mai's shoulder. She shifted slightly in her sleep and gave a soft sigh before one of her hands clutched at the coat that was on her shoulder. Naru sat back down and returned to his work, trying to not think of the girl sitting near him.

* * *

Mai opened her eyes to see Gene standing in front of her with that kind smile. He pointed over at two figures and Mai drew closer. She recognized Jacob's eyes as the man's. She realized the woman had to be Lily, Carol's sister. Her hair was a deep blonde and her eyes were bright blue. And she looked so happy with Clarence, Mai thought.

"She can't find out, Lily. I don't want to know what she'll do to you. I don't want to think about it." Clarence told her. Lily smiled and Mai looked away as the two shared a slightly passionate embrace.

"I can handle her, Clarence. I've lived with her almost my entire life. She was forced into this marriage like you. I'm just sorry that Jacob was part of the deal so that my father would have the ship commissioned." Lily whispered. Mai felt her eyes widen in surprise as the two disappeared. She turned to look at Gene and he just nodded.

"That means that Carol and Lily are related to Catherine and Antoinette!" Mai cried.

"Right. I didn't think anything of it when I found out that Lily had been pregnant. However I contacted Clarence's spirit before he passed on, apparently to avoid scandal, he secretly changed his name to Johnston. To assume a new identity. His great-great grandson is Antoinette's father." Gene told her and Mai sighed.

"Perfect, and here I was...hoping things couldn't get anymore complicated than they already were. Shows how much I know." Mai complained. Gene let out a little chuckle. "Oh, great, if you're laughing at me I give up!"

"Mai, you are doing great. You should've seen the expression on your face!" he told her and she glared at him. She turned her head away from him and heard him chuckled again and she rolled her eyes before suddenly something was pressing down on her chest.

"Gene..." she whimpered. She saw his eyes widen before he faded away along with all of her surroundings and she was floating in darkness. She felt pinpricks all over her body until they became painful. She screamed as the pain became unbearable before she felt someone shaking her.

"Mai!! Mai, wake up!" her eyes snapped open and she realized that she was looking up into blue eyes. Blue eyes that looked panicked, she thought. She gave a soft groan before she realized that she was laying on the floor. She looked into Naru's eyes in confusion.

"What happened?" she whispered. She saw Madoka's face come into view and the woman looked rather pale. Mai couldn't figure out why.

"You were sleeping rather soundly for about thirty minutes after I woke up. Then you started twitching and whimpering. Then...then you...started screaming and having a fit. We tried to wake you but you wouldn't!" Madoka whispered. Mai groaned before she slowly began to sit up, wincing as her muscles felt rather tight and sore.

"What did Gene want?" Naru asked coolly. Mai closed her eyes as she tried to think back. She felt a headache starting in behind her eyes and she forced herself to answer his question.

"Clarence changed his last name when he and Lily married and they fled to Ireland. They're related to Antoinette and Catherine...they're the girls great-great grandparents actually." Mai whispered. She heard Madoka gasp and she wondered if the woman would be willing to go get her some aspirin.

"I didn't see that coming. If the ghost has taken Catherine, it's probably not to hurt her." Madoka whispered and Mai looked over at the woman worriedly.

"Madoka, I'm pretty sure the reason that the ghost has taken Catherine is because of how she feels about Lin-san. In her eyes, though she may not even know it, you took Lin away a long time ago. She doesn't care that you're friends, she wants you out of the way. Probably because she thinks that with you gone she'll have a chance with Lin-san.

"And the ghost was trying to take the baby away to harm the relationship. However, Carol's son, Jacob, wouldn't let that happen. He appeared on near us when the ghost was hurting you. He started yelling and telling her to leave you alone. Madoka, I think, and I don't know if Naru will agree with me or not, that the ghost will try to use Catherine to lure you into a false sense of security. Then she'll try to harm you." Mai finished. She felt everyone's eyes on her and she looked over at Naru who looked surprised.

"Mai's right, Madoka. Has Gene said anything about this?" Naru asked, wishing that Mai didn't see the older boy every time she slept on a case.

"He told me at the beginning that any couples were in danger. Now I know which one it is." Mai whispered as Madoka and Lin had gone to a corner and were arguing quietly. Undoubtedly Lin was trying to get Madoka to leave as quickly as was humanly possible. Apparently Madoka was refusing to listen.

"I see. Very well. Let me see your hand, it looks like you got a splinter in it when you were moving around before we put you on the floor." he helped her up and took her left hand. She looked down and saw the splinter in her ring finger. She felt her face blush as he sat her down and he sat down in front of her. His fingers gently probed the area around the splinter before he took a pair of tweezers, she didn't know from where, and plucked the splinter out.

"Thank you." she whispered softly before she looked up at him and realized that his eyes were rather cool after they had discussed Gene. "Naru, I know that you're probably to thick headed to understand this. I like the Davis twins equally. However, I love only one of them. And I've told him that before." she looked into his eyes and saw his eyes widen in surprise. She wondered what he was thinking. Probably that she was an idiot.

"I see, and how did Gene take it?" he asked her coolly. Mai felt her eyes widen at the cool tone. She glared at him before reaching out and slapping him as hard as she could with her hand.

"I'm not talking about Gene!! Gene is a good friend, Naru!! I can't believe how stupid you're being!! I don't see how I ever fell in love with you!!" she cried. She felt her eyes go wide. She shouldn't have felt so stunned at her confession. She had told him before that she loved him. He had thrown it back in her face though, telling her that she loved Gene instead.

"Mai-chan..." she looked over at Madoka and saw that she and Lin looked slightly startled at her sudden outburst. Mai felt tears welling in her eyes. She turned and ran out of the base and down the plank. She looked around the parking lot of the docks before running as fast as she could in the first direction that she saw.

"MAI!!" she ignored the voice that called her name. She didn't want to go back and as far as she was concerned she never wanted to see Oliver Davis again. She would be happy that she never saw him or anyone else that had anything to do with SPR.

* * *

Here's the enxt chapter. A lot of people were asking for a scene where Naru couldn't say 'no' to Mai. So I tried to incorprate that into this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Cheers and hope you had fun reading. 


	13. Ghost Ship: Chapter 12

Here's the next chapter!! Woohoo! This will be my longest story, I do believe! So please, read and review.

* * *

"Okay, yes. Thank you. Yeah, good-bye." Madoka closed her cell phone and shook her head.

"She hasn't showed up at the hotel the others are staying at and she hasn't gone to the office. I told them to call me if she showed up." Madoka told the other two men that had been waiting for her answer. She looked at Lin and he nodded.

"We'll go look for her." Lin told Naru. "You need to stay her in case she comes back. She doesn't know England very well and she's only been to two or three places."

Madoka and Lin left quickly and got into his car. She clutched his hand tightly as he started the car. He tore out of the parking lot as they kept their eyes peeled for the brown headed Japanese school girl. They stopped at Lin's apartment complex and Madoka got into her own car. She drove as slowly as she dared as she looked for the missing girl.

She stopped at her old apartment building when she saw a curled up figure on the side of the building. She parked the car in the parking garage before dashing back to the front of the building. She had been right. It was Mai, with her head buried in her knees and he shoulders shaking violently with her sobs. Madoka knew she needed to proceed with caution lest she startle the upset girl.

"Mai?" she called softly. She saw the girl look up at her with tears running down her face and Madoka felt her heart break. Naru was an idiot. A total idiot.

"MADOKA!!!" Mai cried as she stood up and ran to the young woman. Madoka caught and hugged her tightly as Mai cried into her shoulder. Madoka rubbed her back up and down in a soothing motion. Mai's sobs were heartbreaking and Madoka wished that she could comfort the girl better than she already was.

"Come on, Mai. It's cold out here." Madoka led Mai towards her car and put her in the passenger's seat before she went to the other side. Mai's sobs were quiet now that they were in the car. She remained silent the whole ride as Madoka made phone calls telling everyone that she had found Mai. She also told Lin to return to their apartment building as soon as Naru let him leave.

They were soon in the apartment that she and Lin now shared. Boxes were everywhere but she navigated Mai so that the young girl was sitting on the couch. Madoka sat with her for a moment before Mai wiped at her eyes again. Madoka reached out and put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Do you want to stay with Lin and myself for a little while? Lin's already suggested it and I can call Luella and have her bring your things over." Madoka said softly. Mai thought about it for a moment before nodding. Madoka stood up and went to make the call.

'I'm so stupid. I can't believe that I said that! And knowing Naru, he'll just ignore it like he does everything else that has something to do with me. Maybe he's right!!' Mai thought before shaking her head. 'No, that's a lie and I know it. I love him, though why I don't know. I have to act like my normal self! Naru won't get me this easily!!'

"Mai-chan?" Mai whirled around to look at a surprised Madoka. She realized that she had stood up during her little speech in her head. She also realized that she was right. She couldn't let stupid Naru keep her down. After all, they had a case to solve and a client that was depending on them.

"I'm going to be fine, Madoka. I'm not going to let that ice cube of a boss make me feel sorry for myself. If he's stupid enough to think that because he looks like Gene that I love Gene instead, well that's his loss. Until he can figure it out, I'm not going to push anymore!" Mai said. Madoka laughed before nodding.

"Of course you will be. Listen, Lin won't be coming back for awhile. Luella asked if we could pick your things up at the office. You want to see where I work?" Madoka asked. Mai nodded before she followed the woman back out of the apartment, a bounce back in her step.

* * *

Naru wasn't exactly sure how he had felt when Lin had showed back up at the ship and told him that Madoka had found Mai. He supposed that he was glad that Mai was alright. But he was still reeling over the fact that had Mai not only yelled at him but confessed to loving him like she had nearly seven months earlier. 

He gave an inaudible sigh as he continued to look over at his case file. He couldn't figure out why he felt so odd after being confessed to. He had been in a shock the entire time that everyone else had been searching for the missing girl. It had crossed his mind several times to use his powers to locate the girl. But he had been to numb at the fact that Mai had ran out of the base, with tears pouring down her face.

'_Like that's anything new_.' said a voice inside his mind that sounded suspiciously like Gene. The last person he wanted to hear at all was Gene. He shook his head to get the voice out of his head.

However, as hard as he tried to ignore the voice he knew that it held truth. He had put Mai in tears multiple times, or so he had been told. He had known that she was always sitting beside him in the hospital, had even come to expect it to a certain degree. He hadn't known, until Lin found it imperative to tell him after she had run out, that Mai always cried until the doctors told them he would be okay.

He supposed that in a sense he felt guilty. After all, his stomach was doing that weird knot twisting thing. He let out another sigh before looking at Lin who was looking at him with a question in his eyes.

"Go home, Lin. It looks like it will be another quiet day." Naru said. Lin gave a soft sigh before standing up and gathering his coat.

"I know it may be to much for you to understand, but everyone can see the looks that Mai gives you. If you don't understand what they mean, that's your fault." he told the younger man before exiting the room.

Naru tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. He had seen the looks that Mai had given him. But after she had found out about his brother and that he was the one that was guiding her dreams he had waved them off as looks _meant for his brother_. But now as he thought back he realized that the looks hadn't stopped even when she had found out the truth.

'Could it really be me?' he asked himself. His mind went back to all the times that he had spent with Mai. She had always been there with him. She had always wanted to know what he thought. She never had any qualms about arguing with him. He never had to ask her to interview their clients as people were always wanting to talk to her.

'Mai...' he thought before he let an unusual soft smile spread across his face. 'I suppose I should believe Mai. I've always trusted her before.'

'_Finally you get it, you silly idiotic scientist_.' Naru realized that it was Gene's voice this time. He chuckled at the voice before pushing himself out of his chair. '_Did you just chuckle?_'

'Yes. Now, leave me alone.' Naru thought before he left the base, making sure to lock the door before leaving.

* * *

Mai was helping Lin and Madoka paint the nursery. Lin had forbidden her from using the stepladder. His reasoning was that she was always falling _into_ things, so what was going to stop her from falling _off_ something? 

"Here is a brush, Mai." Madoka handed her the brush. Mai had been assigned with the task to touch up the baby crib. She turned to the wooden crib and slowly began to touch it up. She peered over her shoulder and smiled as she saw that Lin was helping Madoka put together the paint roller. He had a lot more patience than Gene had given him credit for, she thought.

'They'll make good parents...if they could just figure out to put that roller together.' she turned her head away and bit her lips in order to not laugh. Neither one of them had figured out how to put it together yet. And Mai, being the kind person she was, wasn't going to help them.

'Maybe those two will make it.' Mai thought before she heard a loud squeal. She whirled around started laughing. She saw that both Madoka and Lin were covered in bright yellow paint.

"What's so funny?" Madoka pouted. Mai was bent over as she was laughing so hard before she felt something wet hit her head. She jerked up and saw that Lin was glaring at her as his hand was outstretched at her with yellow paint dripping from his fingers.

"Oh, it's war now, Lin-san!" Mai cried. They were soon engaged in a paint war with yellow paint flying everywhere, mostly on each other. They soon realized that they were all covered in paint, the walls were still bare, and most of the paint was gone.

"That was a spectacular way to waste a day." Lin commented. Both women giggled at the look on his face.

"Why don't you go ahead and get in the shower. Mai and I will start cleaning up." Madoka laughed. The Chinese man shook his head before turning and leaving the room while wondering if he'd ever get the paint out of his hair.

Twenty minutes later he exited the shower to desperate screams. He rushed back to the nursery and saw Madoka trying to shake Mai awake. She looked up at him scared and he went over to her.

"What happened?" he asked her as he knelt down beside her and a whining Mai. He realized that Mai's color wasn't very good and when he reached out to touch her forehead she was burning with a fever.

"I don't know! I felt kind of ill for a little bit after you left the room. Mai came over to help me off the stepladder because I was taking the covers off the window. After that everything seemed fine until Mai suddenly collapsed. She wouldn't wake up!" Madoka cried.

Lin frowned before he closed his eyes and tentatively sent one of his shiki out. He felt it hiss angrily as it wanted to get at Mai but wouldn't dare touch the girl unless Lin gave it permission. He called it back before looking at Madoka and shaking his head.

"There's nothing we can do. Apparently the ghost was trying to possess you. Mai must have known and when she touched you to help you down she took the possession upon herself. I'll need to put her into a sleep and then we need to get her as far away as possible from the docks." he told her and she nodded. She mentally thought up the locations before it came to her.

"The Daviess' house is the farthest away, Koujo. I'll call them." Madoka said as she ran to the phone.

Lin quickly prepared everything he needed to seal Mai. He pushed her bangs back and began to pain the symbol on her forehead. He remembered when he'd had to do the same to Naru. Mai had been begging him to let her draw on his face as well. Lin had known better, knowing that Naru wouldn't have appreciated waking up and seeing a painted on mustache and glasses.

Lin finished the symbol and it glowed to show that it was active before fading away. Lin shook his head. He had never thought that he would have to seal Mai. She had always struck him as the intelligent type and yet she had done it to protect Madoka from the same fate.

'She really does have a big heart.' he thought to himself before looking up as Madoka reentered the room with her hands twisting.

"Noll answered the phone and I told him that we were bringing Mai over. He picked up something was wrong and I guess I'm just...so out of it. I didn't realize I'd told him what had happened until he was swearing. Luella took the phone away and told us to hurry. She's working on a protective charm to put on Mai so that if the ghost, or whatever, leaves it won't be able to get back." Madoka whispered. Lin nodded before scooping Mai up and they both winced at how limp the girl was.

"Get the keys." Lin told her. They left the apartment and quickly made their way down to the parking garage. Madoka climbed into the back seat with Mai as Lin took off in the car. Thirty minutes later had Mai stretched out on her bed with everyone gathered around her.

Apparently Luella had called everyone else and told them what had happened. She had insisted that everyone spend the remainder of the case at the house.

"It isn't Carol. I don't recognize the spirit. It must be one that was rather weak after having died and Carol was able to take complete control over it." Masako whispered into her sleeve before shaking her head. "Lin-san's seal is the only thing keeping the ghost from taking Mai's life right now. An exorcism will do no good because for it to succeed the seal has to be removed and that could very well kill Mai."

"Can you try to contact the spirit?" Ayako asked hopefully as she tried to bite back tears. They all watched with bated breath as the psychic closed her eyes for a few moments before shaking her head.

"She's afraid of what Carol will do to her. It will take me a few hours to get her to talk to me and maybe longer to convince her to leave Mai. I must rest before trying." Masako told them. Luella led the girl out of the room along with Ayako to a bedroom while Martin took the others to their own rooms.

* * *

Naru knew what the emotion was that he was feeling. It was pure anger. Anger at himself for not protecting Mai and anger at the ghost for possessing Mai. He had been there when Masako had told them she would try to contact the spirit. He had briefly wondered when the psychic had changed her attitude towards Mai and offer to actually help the other highschooler. 

Naru's hands tightened around the edge of the book that he was attempting to read before he went to bed. He knew that sleep would be all but impossible while knowing that Mai was only a few rooms down in an induced sleep. Naru knew that Lin would be sitting up with her in case the spirit managed to break the seal. Naru also knew that Madoka would be sitting up with him. Naru frowned slightly. Madoka needed to rest as much as possible.

'If I could wrap my hands around that damn ghost's throat.' Naru's thoughts once again turned darkly to the ghost that had possessed Mai. Madoka had told them that the ghost had tried to possess her but somehow Mai had made the ghost switch. Naru closed his eyes, Mai had such a bleeding heart! She was always trying to be for those around her but never gave any thought to her own protection!

'Stupid, idiot, little girl!' Naru thought angrily as his hand fisted tightly. He didn't noticed that his clock on his nightstand was vibrating. He could feel his anger gathering in the pit of his stomach. He didn't notice the door opening slowly nor did he look at until he heard the audible thump of his clock against the wall. And when he did look up he saw his mother standing there.

"Noll! Control yourself, will you? If you don't-" she was cut off by him.

"I'll end up in the hospital. I know, mother. Mai has found it necessary to remind me every single time we have a case. Especially if the ghost likes to move things." he finished for her. He saw his mother smile gently before picking up the clock, thankfully he hadn't used to much force. The clock was still in tack.

"Mai is a very kind girl, Noll. Does she always get into this much trouble on your cases?" Luella asked as she sat down on the bed. Naru looked over his shoulder at his mother.

"Pretty much. She tends to fall down wells and other various degrees of getting into trouble." he told her in his professional voice. He saw her shake her head before standing and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"It isn't wrong to feel angry and worried, Noll. It's human nature." she told him before squeezing his shoulder. "Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day. Your father has sent some of the other investigators to take care of the equipment until this thing with Mai is solved." Luella told him before she turned and left the room and Naru watched her go.

'Mai...' he thought before shaking his head. He knew that his mother was right. But it felt odd for him to worry about anyone. It wasn't something that he did very often because he was usually the one that was protecting her. Or someone else that he trusted to protect her.

* * *

"She's gotten so pale." Madoka whispered as she continued to wipe the yellow paint off Mai's face. She and Luella had managed to clean the girl up enough so that she wouldn't be covered in paint when she did wake up. 

"It tends to happen during a possession." Lin told her. He saw Madoka blink back tears as she folded the wet cloth and put it on the nightstand.

"I know. But why did it have to be her? Why did she take it on herself to protect me?" Madoka whispered as tears began to trail down her cheeks. She couldn't hold them back and she felt, rather than saw, Lin stand up and walk over to her. He pulled her close and she blinked back her tears.

"Mai has a big heart. I have no doubt in my mind that she did what she did to protect you and the baby." Lin told her and Madoka looked up at him with those vulnerable eyes that she let no one else see.

"I just want this case to be over! I didn't know it would put everyone in so much danger." Madoka whispered. Lin gently rubbed her back, wishing that he knew how to comfort but not having any words. He looked over at Mai as she breathed softly and hoped that she knew nothing of what was going on.

* * *

Masako peered at Naru as he stood in a corner of the room watching Mai with intense eyes. Masako turned her gaze back to the girl. She felt Lin's presence outside the door. She was glad he was near for she had no idea how the spirit would react to her calling it out. She had thought the whole night about what she could do without harming Mai. The only thing she had realized that she could do was call the spirit out and hope that in the process it would leave Mai's body. The problem was to get the spirit to respond. 

"Naru, this while take awhile. I have to first get the spirit to talk to me and get it to trust me before I call it out. Sometimes it'll take three hours or it could take days." Masako told him. She felt her eyes widen as an odd expression flitted across his face, she classified it as pain and worry.

"Just help her." he whispered before the mask slipped back into place. She looked at him gently as a small smile quirked her lips.

"You should listen to Gene, Naru." she replied. She saw his eyes widen before she continued. "He seems to know your heart better than you do. Even I knew how you felt about Mai and I acted childishly because of my jealousness. I will help Mai with everything I can." she turned away and clasped her hands in front of her and began to send her energy out, ignoring everything around her.

Naru quietly slipped out of the room, finding that he had no patience to wait. He wanted to be doing something. Bury himself in his work, anything to get his mind off the fact that Mai was lying in the room as limp as a rag doll and about as lively as one.

"Lin..." Naru said and the man's head jerked up from where he had been looking at the floor. He gave a small nod of his head.

"My Shiki are in the room. Should the ghost threaten Hara-san or Mai, they have orders to go after it once it exits Mai's body. They also have orders to go after it should it try to repossess Mai." Lin told him. Naru nodded before he made his way down to his father's study. It had been nearly a year since he had lasted entered the room.

He saw the floor length mirror in the corner. He slowly walked towards the mirror until he was standing in front. He stared at his reflection before suddenly it grinned at him. And he wasn't grinning.

"Long time, no see, brother." Gene told him as he leaned against the frame of the mirror. Naru gave a soft sigh.

"It has been, hasn't it?" Naru asked. Gene just nodded, knowing that he needed to wait for his brother to tell him what was on his mind. Pushing Naru was never a good thing, even when you were his brother. "What can you tell me about Mai?"

"Ah, so we get straight to the point. I don't know what's going on with Mai. She's possessed at the moment." Gene told him dryly. He saw the glare his brother was giving him before he sighed. "Hara-san is doing the only thing that can be done. She and Lin have taken all the precautions necessary to ensure that nothing will happen to Mai."

"I see." Naru replied. Gene looked at him sympathetically.

"She'll be alright, Noll. She's got a strong spirit and something like this won't keep her down. I know that. You know that." Gene told him. He watched as Naru's eyes closed and the mask slipped off and Gene saw the pain and worry line Naru's face.

"I can't help her." Naru whispered. Gene gave a comforting smile before he replied.

"Be there for her when she wakes." was all he said before Naru was staring at his own reflection. He slipped his cool mask back on firmly before turning and leaving the office. He would have to trust in Masako and Lin. He would have felt better in the knowledge that _he_ was doing something to help her.

'Mai...' Naru thought as he looked up the steps that led to the second floor of the house where Mai's room was located. He found himself wishing that she would soon bound the stairs and yell at him for being a narcissist or for not saying 'Thank you'. He just wanted _her_ back.

* * *

So...I don't really have much to say. Except that you _need_ to review!! I feel very sad when I don't get reviews. But very happy when I do! So please, remember to review! 


	14. Ghost Ship: Chapter 13

Masako had spent the last four hours trying to contact the spirit. It wouldn't respond to her at all. She had tried to contact it, even had sent it a few well veiled insults that weren't very hard to understand. Masako unfolded her hands before standing up. She walked around the room as she tried to work out the kinks in her neck. She looked over at Mai and wished that she could do something that would help Mai even more.

'I don't think I've ever encountered such a stubborn spirit before in my entire time of being an active medium.' Masako thought before she took her seat once again beside Mai's bed. She began to try and contact the spirit once more. She realized that she would need all of her psychic strength. The spirit was beginning to weaken her defenses but Masako had a feeling that it would take a while before the spirit actually talked to her. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"What are you hoping to have?" Ayako asked as they all sat in the living room. They were talking about Madoka's pregnancy in hopes to get their minds off Mai. The Davis family, Masako, and Lin were the only ones that weren't present. Luella and Martin had gone to work and Noll was locked in his room, refusing to come out.

"I don't know. I think I want a baby boy, but either way I'll love my baby with all my heart." Madoka said with a blush on her face.

"If it's a boy it will be very tall." Takigawa mentioned. Everyone laughed at the comment before they realized it was true.

"He'll be very handsome." Madoka said determinedly. Ayako rolled her eyes before patting Madoka on the shoulder.

"I'm not going to reply to that. You're his wife and I don't want you to get jealous because I agreed with you!" Ayako told her. Madoka rolled her eyes back at the young woman before John spoke up.

"I didn't notice before, Lin-san, with all the work on the case. But you are beginning to show slightly." the blonde haired man told her. Madoka's eyes trailed down to her stomach. She was still wearing the tank top from when they had been painting the nursery. They had all stayed up that night. She saw that her shirt was stretched very slightly across a small bump that she hadn't noticed before.

"I didn't notice." Madoka whispered. Ayako gave a small laugh and the curly haired woman looked at her.

"Most women _don't_ notice the change that their body goes through during a pregnancy, usually just the weight gain. It isn't surprising that you're showing at four months considering how thin you are." Ayako said. Madoka smiled before looking back down at her stomach.

Ayako felt her eyes soften at the happy look on Madoka's face. She looked so content and happy. Ayako hoped that the case would soon be solved so that Madoka and Lin could celebrate her pregnancy and marriage fully. Ayako didn't think it was fair that they had to wait because the ghost wouldn't leave them alone.

She looked around and saw that the rest of the team had similar looks on their faces. They were all wishing that none of this happening. She could see that on their faces extremely easily.

'We will get through this like we have everything else. And everyone will be okay.' Ayako thought before she looked at Takigawa. She felt her cheeks flare as he winked at her and she turned her attention from him and back to Madoka.

"Have you thought of names?" Takigawa asked. Madoka looked at him slightly startled before she shrugged her shoulders.

"Not seriously, no. But when I was younger I always liked the name Deshi for a boy and for a little girl I always wanted to name her Hoshiko." she said with a small smile.

"Those are beautiful names, Lin-san. I'm sure your and Lin-san's children will carry the names with pride." John told her. She smiled at John.

"Thank you, John. Would you Christen the baby when it is born?" she asked and he gave her a small smile.

"Of course I will. It would be an honor." he told her. She nodded at him before Takigawa suggested they play a game. Although everyone was intent on the game no one could forget the reason that they were in the big house. That Masako was upstairs trying her hardest to help Mai from being killed by the ghost that was possessing her.

'Please, let this turn out okay.' Madoka prayed as she laid down one of her cards and finding out that she had won the round. She smiled brightly and hiding her worry effectively.

* * *

Naru was back in his room pacing around his bedroom. He wasn't sure why he was so fidgety. Well, he knew the reason why but he didn't understand. Even under the most pressure he didn't fidget at all. And yet, here he was, pacing back and forth. And whether he liked it or not, he was worrying about Mai.

He knew that the seal that Lin had placed on Mai was enough to protect the girl from the spirit. He knew that Masako would do everything she could to lure the spirit out of Mai's body. A task that Naru knew was almost all but impossible. A task that Naru didn't know if Masako was capable of. Gene had only been able to perform it once before and had been extremely exhausted afterward. It had taken him nearly a week to recover and even longer for the person that had been possessed to recover.

Naru shook his head. He didn't want to think about Mai like that. He didn't want to think of her not moving for days on end because she was to exhausted. Gene had told him, before he had performed the ritual, that sometimes the person possessed could still die, depending on how determined the ghost was.

"Mai..." he whispered. The name was never far from his lips. The name was also never far from his mind, even when she wasn't in trouble. Naru realized that he was praying silently for Mai to be alright. He closed his eyes as he lowered himself back into his chair and bowed his head. For the first time in years he prayed for a miracle.

* * *

Masako continued to try and contact the spirit and yet it remained silent to all of her calls. Masako broke her concentration before looking at Mai. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply before exhaling slowly.

'Naru said that Mai was a latent sensitive. I wonder if maybe I could contact Mai's spirit. She may be able to help me contact the spirit.' Masako thought before she once again folded her hands and began to probe outwards with her awareness. It was harder to contact a living person's spirit than it was to contact one of the dead.

'_Mai, if you can hear me, please, you have got to try and talk to me. I know it will be hard but you have got to concentrate._' Masako sent out once she had a connection made with something. She just wasn't sure what she had connected with.

'_Masako..._' a weak voice called. Masako felt something like relief sweep through her at the sound of Mai's voice. Masako sent her awareness out completely and made a full connection.

'_Listen to me closely, Mai. You have got to concentrate on my voice. I need your help. Do you remember what happened?_' Masako asked. She felt Mai's spirit stir slightly and she felt even more relief flood through her. Mai was going to be okay, especially if she was able to focus like Masako was telling her.

'_Not really. I remember being at Madoka and Lin-san's apartment. I remember helping Madoka off the stepladder and then absolutely nothing. I just remember feeling pain all over my body before everything just went black._' Mai replied after waiting for a few moments.

'_Okay, Mai. You've been possessed by a ghost that Carol is controlling. I've tried to contact her but she refuses to talk to me. I need you to try to reach out and see if you can contact her._' Masako told her. She waited for Mai to reply and she panicked as she felt the connection waver before it stopped. She knew how hard it had to be for Mai to keep a connection. It was especially hard when she was sealed.

'_I can try. But I don't know what to do._' Mai's voice held a hint of fear. Masako couldn't resist from reaching out and grabbing her hand. Hoping that the gesture gave her some sort of courage.

'_You have to reach out with your awareness. Go carefully, I don't know what this ghost is capable of._' Masako warned. She felt Mai's spirit flare slightly before calming down. She waited in the silence as Mai tried to do what she had just instructed her to do. Masako felt her eyes droop and she knew what was happening before she could stop it.

* * *

"Masako!" Mai cried as the psychic appeared in front of her. Masako looked around and saw that they were standing on the side of a road. Mai was standing beside her and Masako looked at her.

"Do you recognize this place, Mai?" Masako asked the brown headed girl. Mai shook her head as she looked around in confusion. "Who is that?" Masako whispered as a figure began to cross the road. Mai watched with wide eyes as the face was struck by a beam of moonlight in the dark.

"No...that's...that's Gene!" Mai whispered. Masako felt her eyes widen. What on earth was Gene doing here? Masako looked at Mai before back at the scene playing out in front of them. She remembered the story that Naru had told them about what had happened to Gene.

'This can't be! How did the ghost know about this?' Masako thought in horror before her attention was grabbed by the car speeding towards Gene. Without any headlights on.

"NO!! GENE!!!!" Mai screamed. She started to run towards the boy before Masako grabbed her arm. Mai looked back at the medium and the girl shook her head with a desperate look on her face.

"It's already happened, Mai." the girl whispered. Mai looked back at Gene and felt her eyes widen as Gene flew over the hood as the car plowed into him. She watched as the driver got out and screamed as she saw the body lying on the ground. Another person got out of the car and threw his body into the trunk.

"No! NO!" Mai whirled around and buried her head against Masako's shoulder as the sobs tore from her chest. Masako gently patted her shoulder as she also turned her head away as tears threatened. Masako suddenly felt a jerk on her heart before her head was jerking up and she was sitting in her chair.

'_Mai? Mai, can you hear me?_' Masako called out. She felt something around her throat and she began to choke. Her hands shot to her throat but like she had expected there was nothing there.

'_QUIT TRYING TO CONTACT ME! I'M NOT GOING TO HELP YOU!!_' said a twisted horrible voice. A voice that Masako realized that was the ghost's voice. She suddenly realized that for the ghost to be choking her that part of it's paranormal strength was leaving Mai's body.

'_I challenge you!_' Masako thought. She was thrown against the wall with a sudden ferocity. She gave a small groan before lifting her head up. She felt her eyes widen at the monster staring at her. There was no doubt in her mind that at one point the spirit _had_ been human but it was no longer that way.

"Get out!!!" it hissed at her angrily. Masako narrowed her eyes. She had spent the last fifteen hours trying to contact this stupid spirit and it was trying to tell her what to do? She didn't think so!

"Lin-san!! It's out!!" she called. She heard the man's whistle and watched as the spirit screamed as the shiki began to surround it. Masako stood up and straightened her kimono before looking at the spirit coolly.

"Showing Mai how he died was a cruel thing to do. I don't know how you found out about Gene but you _are_ going to regret it." Masako whispered. She heard Lin whistle again and his familiars attacked the ghost causing it to scream in agony before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Hara-san..." Lin opened the door and Masako looked over at him before sighing.

"I would suggest keeping the seal on for just a while longer. It may help Mai gain her strength back. If she even wishes to wake after what that ghost forced her to watch." Masako whispered softly.

"What did she show Mai?" he asked worried about the brown haired girl lying in the bed.

"Gene's death. Please, excuse me. I must go tell the others that she's alright and I am very tired after fighting with that ghost." Masako left the room and Lin shook his head. He couldn't imagine how much the scene would hurt Mai.

He sat down in the chair that Masako had just vacated. He leaned back and stretched his long legs out. He had to admit that he was slightly relieved that Masako had managed to extract the ghost from Mai. Now it was time to wait and see how much damage the ghost had managed to cause during the time Masako had been trying to get it to leave.

"Koujo?" he looked up to see Madoka standing there with a gentle smile on her face. She slowly walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He reached up and covered it and looked up at her.

"Masako told us what happened and that she requested that you keep Mai sealed to allow her to recover." Madoka stated. Lin nodded.

"Yes. Once Mai is ready to return to us her soul will be able to break the seal rather easily. It is imperative however for someone to at least be with her when she wakes up."he told her. Madoka gave a small giggle before bending down and kissing him on the cheek. She loved the way that his cheeks still tinted when she showed him affection. She thought it was rather cute.

"Madoka, you should get some rest, you're still dressed in yesterday's clothes." he told her. She gave him a small smile before brushing his bangs out of his eyes so that she could see both of them.

"So should you. Why don't you get Noll to sit with her for a little while?" she whispered. He saw that she wanted him with her. He gave a small nod before telling her to sit with Mai for a little while. Madoka sat and waited for Lin and Naru to return, she didn't have to wait long.

"Noll..." Madoka whispered as the young man sat down in a chair near the bed and opened his book. He looked at her for a moment before returning his gaze to his book. She just shook her head before following Lin out of the room.

Naru waited until he heard the click of the door shutting behind them. He closed his book and placed it on the nightstand. His gaze fell on Mai. He was beginning to wonder if he was going to feel anything other than worry and relief on this case. Mai had a two for two as far as he was concerned.

'_She does have a tendency to make everyone around her worry about her._' Gene told him. Naru frowned slightly.

'_Don't you ever sleep anymore? Or is it your ghostly goal to drive me nuts?_' Naru sent back to his brother. He heard his brother laugh and felt the scowl stretch even further across his face.

'_As inviting as they sounds, I haven't slept since Mai first contacted me about this case. I believe that it may be because she's in England and on a case._' Gene replied before giving a soft sigh. '_I suppose Lin told you what that ghost showed Mai._'

'_Yes. It is a good thing that ghost is gone._' Naru sent back and he felt a surge of anger come from Gene.

'_I suppose that is one thing that we agree on._' Gene replied angrily. Naru gave a soft sigh. If Gene was upset about this then he didn't feel so bad about letting his emotion show. As long as no one else saw. '_I'm going now. Mai is about to wake-up._'

Naru's attention returned to Mai. He felt his eyes widen at the moisture that was trickling from the corners of her eyes. He stood up and knelt over her. He reached out with a wet cloth and wiped the seal away on her forehead. He watched as her eyes moved beneath her eye lids. Her eyes slowly opened and locked with his eyes.

"NARU!!" she screamed. He barely managed to keep his balance as she sat up and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly with her head buried in his chest. He managed to sit down on the bed as Mai sobbed into his chest. He kept his arms wrapped around her form as she sobbed.

"It was horrible! I...I..." she couldn't say anything more he realized. He also knew that she was talking about seeing Gene's death. He continued to hold her as she sobbed softly into his chest. At least she wasn't shaking as badly as she had been when she woke up.

"What's going on?!" Naru looked up as Takigawa and Ayako burst into the room. Their eyes went wide as they saw Naru sitting on the bed holding a crying, and awake, Mai. Their eyes locked with Naru's before he looked back down at the upset girl in his arms.

"Mai-chan?" Ayako approached the couple carefully. Mai pulled back from Naru and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Ayako smiled at the gesture. She went over and sat behind Mai and gently rubbed her back.

"Good to see you back up, jou-chan." Takigawa said. Mai gave a small giggle with a hiccup accompanying it. Though tears were still welling in her eyes as she remembered the horror that she had felt as she watched as Gene was run down.

"You should thank Masako. She's the one that really did the work." Mai whispered softly. She looked around and saw everyone around her was looking at her with smiles, except for Naru. She noticed, however, that even his eyes was something that she couldn't place.

"Where's John at?" Ayako asked as she finally realized that the priest wasn't with them. She had been sure that he was following them upstairs when they had heard Mai's screams.

"I think he went to check on Masako. She was rather tired after forcing that ghost out. It isn't exactly the easiest thing to do. It's extremely dangerous for the medium. Most mediums won't do it unless it's a last resort." Takigawa said. Mai bit her lip before her eyes widened in slight understanding.

'She...did that for me?' Mai thought in shock. She knew that Masako had been helping her, she hadn't know that it was dangerous for the girl to do so! 'She really is a friend, even though we didn't get along at first.'

"Mai, are you tired?" Ayako asked. Mai shook her head before rotating her shoulders and wincing as her muscles didn't like the sudden movement.

"Not really, I'm feeling kind of stiff. Could you move so I can get up?" she asked the two people sitting beside her. Naru stood up and made his way to the door. He watched as Mai stood up and began to walk around the room, stretching her legs as she did so. Naru quietly slipped out of the room and leaning against the opposite wall and tilting his head back.

'She's going to be okay.' he thought to himself. He felt numb as he realized how close he had come to losing her. He heard her laughter come from the room and he wondered what he would have done if that laughter was taken away from him for good and he'd never hear it again. He shook his head. He didn't want to think about it and he didn't have to think about it as she was alright.

* * *

"Here." Mai looked at the clothes that Luella was holding out to her. Luella and Martin had returned to the house after Lin had called and told them that Mai was alright. When they had arrived at the house they had found that Mai was up and walking around in a rather cheerful moon.

"Your clothes are still covered in paint. These are some things I wore when I was younger." Luella said. Mai blushed before going through the clothes that Luella had brought her. She found a red sundress and she looked at Luella curiously. The woman gave a small laugh.

"That's the dress I wore when I first met Gene and Noll. Gene loved it and Noll, well, he asked if that was my favorite color." Luella said fondly. Mai looked at the dress before putting it back on the bed.

"That has sentimental value. I can't take that away from you." Mai whispered before Luella was holding the dress out to her with a gentle smile on her face.

"And I know you'll take care of it. Besides it will look nice on you. And whether Noll has told you or not, his favorite color was always red." Luella told her. She watched Mai's face turn red before the girl look at Luella with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you." she whispered. Luella hugged her gently before she turned to leave the room.

"Mai, I'm going to give you a piece of advice. Don't let Noll's cold attitude affect how you act towards him. He may not show it, but he's a good person." Luella told her before leaving the room. Mai watched her go with a smile on her face.

'I know, Luella. But thank you for encouraging me to not give up on him.' Mai thought before she quickly changed her clothes. Once she had changed her clothes she left her bedroom. She made her way downstairs and peeked into the library. She was unsurprised to find Naru sitting in one of the arm chairs with a book in his hands. Mai took a deep breath before entering the library.

"Naru?" she asked softly. She saw him look up and she felt her heart beating fast as she saw the glasses on his face. She couldn't help but think that he could carry off glasses like no one else that she knew.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her. She blinked before looking down at the floor as she realized the double meaning to the question. She took another deep breath before sitting down in the chair next to his.

"Sad. Upset. Angry. I didn't want to see that. No one should have to see that, especially you." she whispered softly. "I don't really know how to deal with it. I mean...I _knew_ he was dead and I even knew how he died. But...I..._didn't_ want to..." she trailed off as tears began to spill down her face. She covered her face with her hands and jumped as she felt Naru's hands pulling hers away.

"Mai, look at me." her eyes locked with his. "Gene didn't want you to see that. I didn't want you to see that. And I promise you, Carol will pay for making you watch that."

* * *

This chapter felt like a monster!! I just didn't know where to stop until it finally just came to me! Tell me what you thought! Kieno0324 


	15. Ghost Ship: Chapter 14

Mai stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom in the Davis house. Martin and Luella had insisted that they all stay for the night and though Mai was embarrassed about it she was sleeping in one of Naru's shirts. He had offered it to her, telling her that she should sleep in something other than Luella's red dress. The woman had told her to keep the dress, along with the other clothes that she had brought her. Mai had tried to argue with her but the woman had refused to listen.

'Shows where Naru got his stubbornness.' Mai thought fondly before she turned over on her side, dragging the cover with her. She brought the collar of Naru's shirt up to her nose and inhaled. It smelled like him and she gave a content sigh. The scent calmed her frazzled nerves from what had happened earlier.

'At least Masako will be okay. I don't think I'd be able to stand it if she was hurt because of me.' Mai thought before she snuggled into the pillow and quickly fell asleep into a dreamless sleep that she couldn't have been happier to have.

* * *

Madoka woke up to the feeling of something on her stomach. She let her eyes adjust to the darkness before glancing at her husband. Her eyes narrowed as he _looked_ asleep. She also knew better than to believe that. He was a very good actor when he wanted to be.

She reached down and felt her the place on her stomach where she felt something laying on it. She was unsurprised to feel his hand twitch beneath her own hand. She scrunched her mouth to one side before she moved his hand to her side to see what he would do. She rolled her eyes as his hand slipped back to rest on her stomach. He was definitely awake.

'Now how do I get him to respond so that I can catch him?' Madoka thought as she bit her lip. She slowly slipped out from beneath his hand and out of the bed. She watched him turn slightly in his 'sleep' and she tilted her head. She quietly went to the door and was about to open the door before he finally took the bait.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked her as her hand rested on the doorknob. She couldn't stop the smirk from forming as she turned around to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, so the actor finally decides to reveal his trick." she said and he shook his head at her. She went back to the bed and crawled in beside him once more and his arms wrapped around her possessively. She gave a small giggle as his hand once again resumed it's place on her stomach.

"What is it with you and obsessing over my stomach?" she asked him. She felt her cheeks flame at the smile that was on his face. She couldn't but think that he looked extremely content as he smiled down at her. She found that she liked the look on his face.

"Our child is growing in there." he replied softly. She was sure that her face was resembling a cherry tomato. "Our family."

"Koujo..." she whispered softly before laying her head on his shoulder. She knew that he had always wanted a family. She hadn't known how much it would affect him once they had decided to start their family. She had never really thought about having a family with anyone else besides Lin.

* * *

Mai's eyes opened slightly before opening completely as she realized that the sun was on her face. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. She quickly climbed out of the bed and grabbed some of the clothes that Luella had given her before dashing to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later she was drying her hair with a towel.

'I wonder if we're going to return to the ship today.' Mai thought before a smile touched her lips. 'Masako is still tired so she'll probably go back to the hotel to rest. And the others don't have any clothes here so they'll probably go back to the hotel for a little while.'

"Mai?" Madoka stuck her head through the door and Mai smiled at the woman as her head was followed by her body. Mai couldn't help but think that Madoka was glowing. Mai decided that it had something to do with the pregnancy.

"Hi, Madoka! How are you feeling?" Mai asked cheerfully and Madoka shrugged her shoulders as she bounced onto Mai's bed with a bright smile.

"Rather well. The morning sickness has finally passed, though I'm sure I won't miss it." Madoka said brightly. Mai giggled at the happy expression on Madoka's face at the thought of the morning sickness being gone.

"I suppose that that's the one thing I'm not looking forward to when I start a family." Mai said as she began to brush her hair out. She heard a small laugh and she turned to look at the curly haired woman.

"With Naru, you mean?" Madoka said. Mai's face flamed before she turned away from Madoka. She bit her lip and shook her head at the image that was planted in her brain. She knew it would never happen. She had confessed her love to him _twice_ and both times he had brushed her off. He hadn't mentioned her outburst after she had woken up from her ghost induced slumber.

"Madoka, what exactly are you doing in here anyway?" Mai asked trying desperately to change the subject. She didn't want to think about things that would never be.

"Well, I'm going to make breakfast today and I was wondering what you would like to eat. After all, it is sort of a celebration of the fact that both you and Masako made it through this alright, albeit a little tired." Madoka said brightly and Mai returned the smile.

"How about I help you? I don't want to just sit around and wait for everyone else to wake up. Besides knowing Naru, if someone doesn't forcibly wake him up...he _won't_ get up." Mai said with a smile. Madoka nodded in agreement.

"Lin is the same way. I spent thirty minutes trying to wake him. I did everything I could think of to wake him up. Except for pushing him out of the bed or pouring water on him." she sighed and Mai giggled as she tried to imagined Madoka pushing the tall man out of the bed.

"Yea, you laugh it up. It isn't as easy is you think." Madoka told her and Mai shook her head.

"That's not why I'm laughing. I'm trying to imagine _you_ pushing _Lin-san_ out of the bed. He's quiet bigger than you are." Mai pointed out as they left the room and went down to the kitchen.

"I suppose that is true. I guess I usually just tell him something in his ear that would make him panic. I tried to tell him I was going into labor." she paused as a sour look crossed her face. "His reply was: 'That's nice, have a good time.'" Mai burst out laughing at the thought as Madoka shook her head.

"I was thinking pancakes, they're quick to make and easy to make a lot of." Madoka said brightly. Mai went to the fridge and pulled out the necessary ingredients before turning back to Madoka to see that she had the stirring bowl out along with the pancake mix.

"If you could mix everything up while I get the pans out and ready." Madoka said brightly before she sprayed the pans and put them on the stove. She turned the stove on and waited until Mai handed her the bowl and she poured the batter out into the three pans before handing Mai the bowl back.

"Could you get me a spatula to flip the pancakes with?" Madoka asked pleasantly. Mai did as she was asked before they both looked up as Lin suddenly ran into the kitchen pulling his jacket on and wide eyed and frantic looking.

"Madoka, come on, let's go!" Madoka squeaked as she was suddenly dragged towards the door.

"Hey, wait a minute. What's wrong with you?" Madoka asked as she tried to stop him from actually dragging her out of the room.

"The baby! We have to go!" he cried in a panic. Mai gave a small giggle as Madoka dug her heels even further into the floor.

"I'm not having the baby right now!" Madoka cried. The man suddenly stopped trying to drag her out of the room. He blinked owlishly before having the decency to look embarrassed.

"It must have been a dream. I could've sworn you told me you were having the baby." he said before turning and walking out of the room. Madoka felt her face go slack with shock as she realized that he was headed back towards the bedroom.

"You have got to be kidding me. He wakes up like that and he's going back to bed because there's nothing wrong?" Madoka asked as she went back to the stove. She heard giggling and looked over at Mai who was trying to stifle the sound. Madoka couldn't help but join in the laughter as she turned back to the stove.

"I don't think I've ever seen Lin-san so disheveled before in my entire time of knowing him!" Mai giggled and Madoka smiled affectionately. "But I suppose only you can make him like that."

"And one day you'll make Naru like that." Madoka shot over her shoulder. She knew that she had embarrassed the girl as she heard the girl spluttering in the background. The girl finally responded.

"What is it with you people and suggesting that Naru and I are going to have kids?!" Mai squealed. Madoka looked over her shoulder as she flipped the pancakes with her spatula.

"I never mentioned having kids." Madoka said with a smile on her face. Mai's face turned even redder before she turned away from Madoka and began to pull the bacon out to prepare it for Madoka to fry.

"Just drop it. I don't want to talk about Naru or marriage or kids or anything of the like." Mai said. Madoka realized that the girl was being very serious and she didn't push the subject any more.

* * *

"Antoinette!" Madoka cried as she noticed the girl was standing on the deck of the boat when they arrived.

"Hi! Sorry I haven't been around. My job at the law firm has been demanding my attention for the past couple of days. I made the workers leave and told them that they were only allowed to work for an hour a day until this was solved. They happily agreed." Antoinette said as she followed Lin, Madoka, Mai, and Naru into the base.

"Well, Carol has sort of taken it to far." Madoka whispered to Antoinette before quickly explaining what had happened. She watched friend's eyes go wide before she shook her head in sorrow.

"That's horrible!" Antoinette cried. She turned her attention to Mai who looked surprised. "I'm so sorry that happened, Mai."

"It isn't your fault that you have an evil spirit haunting your ship. And it isn't your fault that she tried to send a servant out to hurt us." Mai told her. Antoinette smiled at her in relief before nodding.

"Right. Where's the rest of your team?" she asked curiously as she finally realized that their team was smaller than normal.

"Well, most of them went back to the hotel to change clothes. Yasuhara-san has fallen in love with the office library at the Society." Madoka said with a shrug. Mai gave a small giggle.

"It's like a second home to him, I believe. Of course, knowing him he'll be back just so that he can annoy Monk-san!" Mai said with a smile. Madoka nodded in agreement.

"Mai, tea." Naru ordered from his chair. Mai gave an angry huff before standing up from her chair and stomping over to the station where she had been making the tea for the past few days.

'Stupid Naru! I don't care how worried he was about me! He needs to learn his manners!' Mai thought to herself as she made the tea. But she knew that no matter how much she complained about his manners that she wouldn't be happy if he _did_ thank her. After all it just wouldn't be _him_.

"Dr. Davis, I'm going to warn you before he takes you by surprise. My father is going to be on the ship tomorrow to do inspections. And he isn't very happy that you're here. He doesn't believe that there's such a thing as paranormal activity. And I don't care if you're rude to him. To be honest, I'd be happy if you were." Antoinette said with a bright smile. Mai shook her head.

'I guess she really doesn't like her father if she's telling Naru, of all people, to be rude to him. Although from how Madoka has talked about him he isn't exactly the best guy in the world.' Mai thought as she poured the steaming water out and began to make the tea.

"I see. Very well, as you are our client, I have no loyalty to y our father." Naru told her and Mai could see the grin that Antoinette was sending Naru. She giggled before setting the teacup down in front of Naru. He looked up at her and she sent him a look.

"Don't be to _horrible_." she told him. She blinked at the smirk that he was giving her before shaking her head. She turned away and reclaimed her seat beside Madoka. She saw that the woman had a laptop with her and Mai scooted her chair closer and saw she was looking at baby clothes.

"Aw, that's cute!" Mai pointed at a little jumper with 'Hi! I'm Brand New!' written on the front in bright yellow letters. Madoka giggled as she read what it said before nodding in agreement.

"You're right. Lin's mother was rather upset when he called and told her that we were married and expecting a baby. She told him that the only way she'd forgive him would be if I sent her some links with baby clothes that I like. It's hard to chose when I don't even know what I'm having." Madoka giggled. Mai smiled at her before noticing a button on the page.

"You can order it in pink or blue. Why don't you email her and tell her to wait until you find out what you're having?" Mai suggested. Madoka nodded in agreement before a shadow fell on them. They looked up to see Lin standing there with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you think we need to get the nursery painted before we start sending her links?" Lin asked. Both woman laughed at the expression on his face, no one noticing that Naru was watching them with an exasperated look on his face.

"Well, I _suppose_ as long as you don't mind your mother calling us every night before we go to sleep." Madoka said with that scheming little smile of hers. Lin's head dropped slightly before he agreed.

"Although, I believe that Mai shouldn't be there anymore when we try to paint the nursery again." he said. Mai growled at him. She glared at him.

"If I remember correctly, _you _were the one that threw paint at me first!" Mai defended herself. Madoka gave a small giggle before squeaking as Lin whapped her on the back of the head with his papers. Mai giggled as Madoka glared at Lin before turning back to her computer.

"I'm now ignoring you." Madoka said. Mai watched Lin shrug before he left the base, undoubtedly to go collect the tapes. Mai wondered why Naru hadn't sent her. She shrugged to herself, not wanting to question her current good luck. She turned her attention back to the clothing site Madoka was on.

"Do you have a feeling yet to what you're having?" Mai asked. She knew that most mothers had a slight inkling to what they were having even when they were as early as three months pregnant.

"Not really. I think when it start to move around when it's old enough I'll get a feeling. I kind of hope it's a boy but to be honest...I don't care. It's my baby and I already love it." Mai watched as Madoka put her hand on her stomach and smiled affectionately down at it.

"Hey, look at those little booties!" Mai squealed as she pointed at a pair of baby shoes with bunny faces on the toes and little floppy ears coming up from the fabric.

"Oh, those are cute." Madoka said as her attention was turned back to the computer. She logged into her email and Mai watched as the woman began to copy and paste at least twenty links into the email. Before she sent it to Lin's mother she pleaded with the woman to stop calling them at midnight because she was upset at Lin.

"What's Lin's parents like?" Mai asked curiously and Madoka turned to her with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I never met his father, but his father's name was Deshi. I suppose that's the reason I like the name so very much. His mother's name is Mei Ling, she's a kind woman. His youngest sister is the same age as you and is currently attending school in France." Madoka said. She saw Mai blink in curiosity.

"Does his family like to send their children out of country for their education?" she asked. Madoka gave a small giggle.

"Lin applied for a job at the Centre to send money back to his mother, money was tight after his father died. I believe that Shuurei received a full scholarship from a private school in France. Mei Ling agreed to let her go as long as she checks in with Lin every weekend." Madoka said with a smile.

"Shouldn't you two be working instead of gossiping?" Naru's voice cut in. Mai looked over shoulder with a glare at him.

"Tell me what I need to do. You sent Lin to do my normal job of collecting the tapes." Mai reminded at him. She squeaked as he stood up and walked over to her. He dropped the digital thermometer in her lap and she dropped her head with a groan.

"Go collect the temperature of the upper deck. We haven't gotten any recording from it yet." he told her. She stuck her tongue out at his back before turning and leaving.

"Don't act so childish." he told her. She growled and slammed the door on the way out. He was such a jerk! She made her way up the steps and began to make her way through the rooms that the richer patrons had used when the boat was still in service. She sighed as she realized that the temperatures were all normal. She began to make her way back towards the steps before she screamed as something pushed her to the ground roughly.

'What the?' she pushed herself back up and looked around. She frowned as she saw a soft shimmering in front of one of the doors. She made her way towards the door and opened it. She felt a chill go down her spine as cool air swirled around her.

'I just checked the temperature in this room and it was fine.' she thought before stepping into the room while rubbing her bare arms. She wished that she had remembered to grab the sweater that Luella had give her to go along with the bright yellow sundress that she had given her as well.

"_Please help me_." said a small voice. Mai looked around in surprise at the voice before squeaking as the door closed.

'Just stay calm, Mai.' she told herself as she continued to look around for the source of the voice. "Who are you?" she asked into the air. She felt her heart break as she heard a soft sigh.

"_My name is Anita Carson. That ghost made my best friend strangle me_." the voice whispered. Mai watched with wide eyes as a female ghost appeared on the tattered bed that had been left in the room.

"That's horrible." Mai whispered. The girl didn't look much older than her and she had long blonde hair that was touching the bed. She was dressed in what looked like ball gown.

"_Yes. I knew it wasn't Kelly that killed me, I could see that in her eyes. I've been listening in on your conversations. I now know why she picked me. I had just married Kelly's male best friend. But she didn't like him like that. They were close but just friends. Kelly was already married and expecting her second child with him._" Anita said with a sad smile on her face.

"Did anything happen to Kelly?" Mai asked. Anita shook her head.

"_No, and I was glad. She didn't even know that she had done it. She only did it because _she_ possessed her. And that ghost that she had sent after you...she brainwashed into thinking that the only way she could move on was if she killed you or that lady that's pregnant_." Anita continued. Mai shook her head before the boat suddenly shook and she looked at Anita who suddenly looked afraid.

"_Get back to your friends!_" she cried. Mai turned and dashed out of the room as the door swung open. She ran down the hallway as the boat continued to sway. She was on the deck when Naru came out of the base with Madoka and Lin following him closely with Antoinette bringing up the rear.

"Get off the boat!" Naru called as he grabbed her arm and began to drag her towards the gangplank. They all ran down it as quickly as they could. They turned back towards the ship and watched as the shaking slowed down to nothing. They were all breathing hard.

"_What_ was that?!" Madoka asked. Mai bit her lip before shaking her head. She told the others about her encounter. She saw Naru frown before he looked back at the ship.

"Noll, we need to be extremely careful as we go on now. We don't know how many ghosts Carol has control over and how many are against her." Madoka mentioned to the young man. He nodded in agreement before he turned away from the ship and back to Mai.

"Did this female ghost that you talked to say anything about the other ghosts that are occupying the ship?" he sent to Mai. She shook her head with a sad look on her face.

"No, she just talked about what happened. Maybe you could call Yasuhara-san and see if we could find out about the pasts of the victims. From what Anita said, Carol could've mistaken other relationships between friends as jealously." Mai said. Naru nodded before looking back at the ship with a critical eye.

"Noll, it may be best to wait for Monk-san and Miko-san to arrive. They may be able to calm down the spirit enough for us to get back on the ship. Carol is angry enough right now to capsize the boat should we try to board once more." Lin told him. Naru nodded once more in agreement.

"Very well. I'm going to head to the office. I'll see what Yasuhara can find about the victims. Mother should have some more research ready. Mai, are you coming?" he asked. She bit her lip before looking at Madoka and Lin who were waiting for her to decided. She shook her head.

"No, I promised Madoka and Lin I'd help paint the nursery. We can do that while we wait for Monk-san and Miko-san to call and tell us that they're on the way." Mai said brightly before turning back to the couple. Naru turned and walked away before Lin said that he was going to get the car. Madoka followed him leaving Mai and Antoinette alone.

"Has there been any sign of Catherine?" Mai asked. The girl shook her head with a sad look on her face.

"No, I called the couple up in Dublin, she wasn't there. I even called the hospital up there she sometimes works at. I also called our mother and she isn't there. Father insists that nothing is wrong." Antoinette whispered with a soft sigh.

"She'll show up soon I'm sure. Maybe she just wanted to get away because she knew that something would happen if she stayed. Because she does love Lin-san and she knows that he's happy with Madoka. I hope she's trying to protect them." Mai whispered softly in attempt to comfort Antoinette. The woman gave her a smile that told her she had done the right thing.

"Thank you, Mai. I bet you're right. That sounds like Catherine." Antoinette thanked her. Lin pulled up. Mai gave Antoinette an encouraging smile before she slipped into the backseat of the car.

"I called Monk-san and Ayako. They said it would be another two or three hours before they come back to the ship. Masako wants to come as well and they're going to let her rest a little bit more." Madoka told her. Mai nodded with a smile on her face before Lin pulled out onto the road.

"Could we stop at the craft store? I want to make the baby some good luck charms." Mai said brightly. They stopped at a small craft store not far from the apartment complex and she gathered all of the supplies that she needed to make her craft for the baby.

"Let's try this again." Madoka laughed as she set the paint down on the plastic covered floor. She and Lin began to paint the room as Mai sat in the living room working on her project that she had become extremely secretive about it.

"Hey!!" Madoka squealed as he tickled her from behind. She dropped her brush as he whirled her around. She giggled up at him as he continued to look down at her before bending down and stealing a kiss.

"Lin!" she pushed away and shook her head at him. "We need to get as much as we can done."

"We have five months." he said as he bent his head again. She stopped his descent and looked at the open door. The open door that Mai was leaning over the arm of the couch to peer into the room.

"And we have an audience. Until she feels comfortable living with Noll and his parents again, we need to be considerate." she told him. Lin sighed before letting her go and rolling his eyes.

"Stupid, idiotic, little twerp." he muttered and Madoka let out a laugh at the angry look on his face.

"Isn't that what you called him the first time he insulted you?" she asked. The look he gave her clearly said that he didn't want to talk about it.

* * *

"What are you doing to keep getting covered in paint?" Ayako asked as Mai, Madoka, and Lin entered the base. The miko did a double take and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Lin had several strips of yellow paint on his cheeks and hands as did Madoka.

"We're painting the nursery for the baby and Noll called us and demanded we show up immediately. We didn't have time to clean up." Madoka said with a shrug before looking around the ship. She was relieved that it was no longer shaking.

"What did you do to keep the ship from rocking?" she asked and the monk and miko exchanged looks.

"We put a double seal on the Captain's Quarters. Masako said that was where she felt Carol's presence the most so we decided to make it so that it was even harder to make mischief for us until we can get rid of her." Takigawa explained as they all took their seats.

"It may hold her for a little while but not long. She's a strong spirit and she's had a lot of time to refine her paranormal technique so to speak." Masako said from her chair. Mai gave her a bright smile and the slightly younger girl returned the smile.

"Mai, tea!" Naru ordered. Mai huffed and began to walk towards the small setup before Masako grabbed her sleeve and she turned to look at the girl as everyone else talked around them.

"You need to be extremely careful. I don't know how Carol knew about Gene. I do know that she knows that she can get to us through you or even Madoka." Masako whispered. Mai smiled in thanks before nodding.

"Thank you." she whispered before Masako let go. 'Let's just hope we can have this solved before Monk-san's and Ayako's seals are broken by her.'

* * *

Here's another chapter. I'm to tired to say anything except PLEASE Review! I'm begging! Kieno0324 


	16. Ghost Ship: Chapter 15

Mai looked around confused as she stood on the deck of the ship. The last thing she remembered was talking to the Regulars in the base. Then she suddenly realized what must have happened.

'I fell asleep. Which means...' she looked around expectantly and when he started to walk towards her she ran at him. "GENE!!" she screamed as she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

Gene wrapped his arms around Mai tightly. He felt her sobs shaking her body. He wasn't sure how to comfort her. He knew it was common for a person to comfort a loved one. It wasn't as common for the person doing the comforting to be dead. He somehow thought that it probably didn't happen very often, that much he definitely knew.

"Oh, god, I didn't think that I'd ever see you again!" she whispered into his shirt. She heard him chuckle and she pulled back to look up at him with wide eyes. He wiped her tears away as he gave her his trademark smile. He saw her try to return it but with no luck as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"Mai, I'm already dead." he told her dryly. She gave a soft sob before burying her head back against his chest as she clutched at him tightly. He pushed her back slightly and she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I...I didn't want to see that! Even...even though I knew you were dead. It...it almost killed me having to watch that!" Mai sobbed. Gene reached out and once more gently wiped her tears away.

"And I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you. I may take long absences but I will never _truly _leave you." he told her. She nodded before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She opened her eyes and gave him a big smile, the smile that he had been waiting to see.

"Thank you, Gene. So...what's the reason for making me come here?" she asked as she finally gained her composure. Gene was right. He would always be there unless she asked otherwise or he finally managed to move on. He knew that it would hurt when he _did _move on but she knew that it would happen some day.

"I know how Carol found out about my death. When I was trying to contact her at the beginning of the case, she was able to read me. And she kept that hidden in hopes of letting the ghost that possessed you to destroy you. I'm glad she failed. You're stronger than her and that's the real thing that matters. Also, Jacob found out some evidence to share with us." Gene told her and Mai nodded.

* * *

"Naru?" he looked up at the sound of his name. He blinked as Masako was standing there looking at him with a curious look. He looked back at the others and frowned as he saw that Mai had her arms crossed on the table with her head resting on them as she slept soundly. No doubt with Gene. He quickly looked away from her and back at Masako as he mad _that_ realization. 

"What is it, Hara-san?" he asked. He watched as Masako sat down beside him and looked him straight in the eye.

"You're an idiot." she told him. He blinked in surprise at the sudden insult. Masako usually insulted others, just not him. And he didn't know _why_ she had insulted him.

"Come again?" he asked her. She shook her head at him as she looked at him with her dark eyes.

"I'm sure you heard me, Naru. A few months ago I wouldn't be doing this because of several reasons that I'm sure you know of. If not, you really are the densest person that I've ever met." she paused and he studied her. He really didn't know where this was going as he rarely ever heard the medium talk so much. She wasn't a very talkative person.

"I know that he has undoubtedly told you this countless times before. I don't know how much affect it will have coming from me but I have a feeling that I need to do this for her. _Mai doesn't love Gene_." she told him. She watched his eyes widen slightly at her tone.

"I see. You're right. I've heard that enough from Gene himself." he told her and Masako rolled her eyes. He was still acting like the idiot that she had begun to see that he was. She really was wondering what had caught her attention about him and why Mai was so loyal to him.

"Well maybe if you saw the way that Mai looks at you when you aren't looking. Maybe then you would realize that it's the truth. And maybe, just maybe, it would get through your thick head that you're jealous that she's friends with Gene." Masako stood up and walked away from him. She hoped for Mai's sake that she had managed to get through his head. But then again, maybe she was hoping for to much.

'Mai, you are just as stubborn as he is. I still don't see how you can still put up with him after all this time.' Masako thought as she took her seat back with the others. She looked over her shoulder and saw with a smirk, hidden by her kimono sleeve, that Naru kept looking up from his book and at Mai. Maybe she had gotten through to him, or at least planted something in his mind that was causing him turmoil.

"Hey, Madoka! Random question. Did Lin ever fail a class?" Takigawa suddenly asked. Madoka blinked in surprise before looking at her husband as he sat at the computer. She saw that his eye brows were up as well.

"Well...no. He is very smart, he even taught the Chinese class at our high school when the teacher retired." Madoka said with a bright smile. Takigawa blinked before tilting his head.

"Okay. Somehow that doesn't surprise. Another random question. How old were you when you met each other?" he asked. Madoka blinked before sighing and shaking her head.

"We met when I was fourteen and he was fifteen." she said with a soft sigh. Takigawa chuckled before Ayako spoke up.

"You are the most random person that I have ever met." Ayako said with a roll of her eyes.

"And that's the reason you love me!" he said brightly. Madoka watched as Ayako suddenly turned red before she proceeded to beat the man with her purse as she screamed several things, that as a miko, she probably shouldn't have known about.

'Noll really does attract the oddest people.' Madoka thought with a smile on her face before looking at John who was smiling pleasantly and Masako who was watching with a raised eyebrow.

'But then again, he wouldn't be Noll if he didn't attract them.' Madoka thought with an affectionate smile before her attention was caught up as Mai shot up from her chair. Everyone looked at her wide eyed. Madoka watched as Naru stood up and walked up to the frozen girl as she stood there staring at a corner without blinking.

"Mai?" he asked as he stood beside her. He saw that her eyes were trained on something and rather wide as she stared at the corner. He reached out to touch her shoulder before her breath hitched and she stopped breathing for a moment before she began to fall towards the ground and Naru caught her with a grunt. He was slightly relieved that she had started breathing again but her eyes were closed and she was clutching her head.

"Mai, are you alright?!" Ayako asked as she knelt down beside the girl before Mai looked up and from the way she tilted her head they realized it wasn't Mai.

"You need to be careful. You've stonewalled Carol but you haven't stopped her. Please, you have to stop her." Mai's head drooped before it lifted up and she looked around in confusion.

"What happened?" she asked. Ayako told her and the girl rubbed her head slightly before she stood up with Naru's help.

"What did you find out?" Naru asked and Mai shook her head as she tried to think of her dream.

"Nothing. Gene was about to show me something before I fell into a normal sleep or something of the like I suppose. The next thing I know I was waking up and looking at you." she told him. Naru frowned in confusion. Usually when his brother called Mai he was able to keep her in her dream like state. It had to be something strong that pulled Mai away from Gene and the information that he had. Information that they obviously needed.

"I see. Very well." Naru said. Mai watched Naru take his seat once more. "Mai, tea."

"Yes, narcissistic one." she said sarcastically as she stood up. She heard the others snicker and she smirked. She thought it was funny and quite witty if she did say so herself. After all, she had to have picked up on some things after working with the man for nearly two years. She blinked as the thought struck her.

'That's right. His birthday is coming up. What's today's date?' she looked down at her watch and felt her eyes widen. 'September 11th? Wow, it's just eight days away. I wonder if Naru realizes how close his birthday is. He probably does but just doesn't care.'

"Are you just going to stand there staring at the teakettle?" Takigawa asked as he popped up beside her. She gave a small scream at the sudden appearance of the monk before glaring at him. She quickly began to go around and make the tea. Takigawa watched her with an affectionate smile. She had been lost in her own little world and was currently blushing because of that.

"Hey, Monk, we need to go check on those seals." Ayako called. He turned away from Mai and followed Ayako out.

"Mai, can I have some tea as well, please?" Madoka called. Mai looked over her shoulder and nodded. She quickly set up another cup as she waited for the kettle to whistle. She poured the water out once it was heated and delivered the two teacups with only Madoka thanking her. Though she hadn't expected anything else from her boss.

"Don't worry about it. He never thanked Gene for anything as well." Madoka whispered. Mai gave her a grateful smile before she noticed that Madoka once again had the computer out and both Masako and John were looking at the screen and she scooted over. She giggled as she saw the toy site that she was on.

"Who blackmailed you into looking at toys?" she asked and Madoka giggled before she looked at John and the priest shrugged with that goofy smile on his face.

"I have to get something for the little one when it is born." he told her and Mai gave a small giggle before Masako spoke up.

"So do I, John-kun. So back off, I have first dibs." the medium said. Mai blinked at the attitude before putting her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. She had never thought that Masako would have snapped at John, of all people. But the priest seemed to take it all in stride with his smile still in place.

"Okay, you two. We get it. Besides, you don't have to get the baby anything, John. You're doing the Christening." Madoka reminded him. John tilted his head.

"Ah, yes. And somehow I don't think the baby will be happy with me when I drop water on it's forehead. I'd like to get it something that it can play with so that it won't hate me." John told her and Mai giggled.

"John-kun, the baby will love you for letting the Lord's love touch it." Masako told him and he gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Masako-san." he told her and Mai raised an eyebrow as Masako blushed at the look that he was giving her. Mai felt her heart clench for the two. John would never be able to act on his feelings and Mai knew that Masako wouldn't force anything on him.

'Poor Masako-chan. She cares for one guy only to have him completely unresponsive and the next guy she cares for can't admit he returns her feelings.' Mai thought sadly before Madoka's laughter caught her attention as Masako pointed at something.

She saw that the medium was pointing at a collection of stacking blocks along with a platform to stack them on. Madoka clicked on the link and they all read about how the blocks were supposed to help a child with their colors and shapes.

"That would be a little old for a newborn. But it would be a good present for when the baby turns one." Mai told Masako. The girl nodded with a smile before she and Mai took the computer away from Madoka and began to look at other toys with John moving to look over their shoulders.

"Hey!! Guys!!" Madoka whined before she stood up and walked over to her husband. She felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought that she actually had a husband. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and felt him stiffen slightly. He looked over his shoulder and gave her his hidden smile.

"Have they taken away your computer?" he asked. She giggled and nodded before she squeaked as he managed to move her into his lap and wrap his arms around her body and she rested her head against his shoulder. She felt so safe in his arms when he held her and now she realized that he was protecting their child as well.

"Ah!! No, stop it! Eek! Stop it, you stupid computer! Oh, crud." Madoka looked over at Mai and felt her face go slack as she saw a blue screen staring at the three that were around her laptop. She gave a small groan before leaving Lin and going back over to the group.

"What have you done to my computer?" Madoka cried. Lin watched as she tried to get her computer to start working again. He shook his head before turning back to his work. He noticed as he worked that he had a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't really remember the last time that he had smiled while working. And to think it was because of a Japanese girl. It was definitely the last thing that he had ever thought would make him smile.

"I didn't do anything! It just died!" Mai defended herself against the older woman as Madoka tired to bring the laptop back to live. When Lin looked over his shoulder twenty minutes later he saw that the blue screen was still staring at her. He just shook his head.

"The workers are coming if you want to leave for a little while. They'll be here for about an hour." Antoinette said as Ayako and Takigawa reentered the room. Everyone talked and agreed to go out, somehow Mai got even Naru to agree to go with them. Madoka and Lin decided that they would eat somewhere else alone.

* * *

"They are all being really great about the pregnancy." Madoka said cheerfully after the waiter had taken their lunch order at their favorite little café. The café that they had their first date at. 

"With the rate their picking things out for the baby, we're going to need a separate room alone for the toys and clothes." Lin said dryly. Madoka gave a small giggle before sipping at her iced tea.

"Well it will be the first addition to the SPR family since Luella and Martin adopted Noll and Gene." she said. Lin gave a soft sigh at the sound of Naru's name and Madoka knew why.

"Noll is such a thickheaded idiot. You know that it's bad if even _I_ know that Mai cares for him deeply." Lin mentioned. Madoka shrugged before she reached out and took his hand.

"I used to think that but I think I know why he doesn't want to admit he cares. He's already lost someone that he cares for deeply, his twin brother of all people. He's afraid that if he begins to show that he cares for Mai that he'll lose her as well. I know this may sound strange coming from me...but we should let Noll go at his own pace." Madoka whispered. Lin chuckled before he squeezed her hand tightly.

"You're right." he told her before his cell phone began to ring loudly. He let go of her hand and answered the phone. "Hello?" Madoka watched curiously as his face quickly paled as he listened to someone on the other end. "What?!"

"Lin?" she asked softly as his face continued to pale before he told the person on the other end that they would be there, wherever 'there' was, as soon as they could before hanging up.

"That was Antoinette." Lin said in a shaky voice and Madoka watched in suspense as he closed his eyes before continuing. "Apparently Mai was crossing the parking lot and a car was speeding out of it and hit her. There was no driver."

"Carol broke the seal..." Madoka whispered in shock. "How is she?" she whispered as tears began to well.

"Antoinette said that they were at the hospital and Mai's in surgery." he replied and Madoka felt the tears began to trail down her cheeks.

"Where's Noll?" she asked.

"They don't know. He disappeared."

* * *

I feel like I'm picking on Mai. I kind of wanted this to be a filler chapter and everything. But hopefully I had enough of the side characters in the story (by the way, Yasuhara is still hiding in the library!) Anyway, review! Like always, those lovely reviews make so happy! 


	17. Ghost Ship: Chapter 16

The sound of metal hitting flesh. The scream that tore through the air. The body that flew across the hood of the car and landed on the ground with a sickening thump. These thoughts were passing through Naru's head as he sat on a bench in a park not far from the docks.

His head was bent almost to his knees and he didn't need to look up to see the storm clouds that were looming in the sky over London. His hands reached up and clutched at his head tightly. His eyes were unseeing as he stared at the ground blankly. Anyone passing by would think he was a very depressed person. Or that he had just lost someone very dear to him.

'Mai...' he thought as he continued to look at the ground. He could clearly see in his mind's eye as the car sped towards her. She only noticed when she heard the squealing of the tires before it hit her and her scream of pain before everything went silent. He could see as everyone ran to her, except himself. He could feel the ice cold dread as John ran to call the ambulance.

Naru wasn't sure what had made him turn and run. His first thoughts had been to hunt Carol down. But after he had finally slowed down and found himself walking through the park he realized why he had run. He hadn't wanted to see Mai's lifeless eyes. He knew, from first hand experience, what a car could do to a person. He didn't want to return to the others and have them tell him that she was dead.

'I failed.' he thought before he looked up as the clouds let loose and the rain poured down on them. He felt the water hit him and roll down his cheeks, giving him the tears that he couldn't cry.

'What am I supposed to do?' he had never been one to ask such a question. But now that Mai was gone, his anchor, he couldn't hold on anymore. How was he supposed to live now that she was gone? His mind shied away from the fact that earlier that week he had been considering the fact that he might have loved Mai. There was no way he could admit that now. It would only make the pain worse.

'_Noll?_' Naru closed his eyes at Gene's voice. He didn't want to talk to anybody but he couldn't block Gene. Especially if the older boy wanted to talk to him.

'Leave me alone.' Naru sent back. He just wanted to be left alone. He didn't want to talk to anyone and he didn't want to see anyone.

'_Noll, she's still alive._' Gene told him. Naru's head jerked before he gave a humorless chuckle.

'I see. How long until she joins you Gene? How long until she leaves?' he asked sardonically. Gene immediately picked up on the hopeless note that was in Naru's tone.

'_Noll, I don't know the answer to that. But wouldn't it be better to be at the hospital and find out what is going on. To know how she is doing._' Gene whispered softly and Naru closed his eyes.

'I don't want to see her like that. I don't want to see her in a hospital bed unconscious.' Naru answered his brother. He felt a touch on his arm and closed his eyes as the despair began to overwhelm him again.

'_Go!_' was the command. Naru no longer felt like arguing and he stood up and realized that he was running towards the hospital. But he didn't care. All that mattered was that his stupidity hadn't cost him his chance to see Mai.

'Don't die, Mai. Don't die!'

* * *

Madoka watched as Ayako stood at the nurse's station. She stood there listening and nodding before she made her way back to where the others were sitting. Madoka feared the worst when she saw how pale the priestess was. She couldn't have good news.

"She's still in surgery. There's some internal bleeding and the doctor is trying to cut off the bleeding. The nurse told me that she didn't know what was going on but that she would let us know when Mai got out of surgery." Ayako whispered as she sat down beside Takigawa. She saw John praying and Masako was clutching his arm with her head bent as she prayed as well. Madoka's head was buried against Lin's shoulder and Ayako could see the woman's shoulder's lifting with her sobs.

Yasuhara had joined them and his head was bent in prayer as well. Ayako looked at Takigawa and saw that he was trying to give her a comforting smile but his mouth didn't move. She reached out and took his hand as she let out a breath. She felt the tears trailing down her face but she had no breath in her lungs to sob.

They all looked up as they heard footsteps and Ayako's eyes went wide at the sight that was in front of them. Naru was standing in front of them with his hair completely messed up and his eyes were wild. His clothes looked rumpled and he looked as though he had ran all the way to the hospital from somewhere that wasn't very close.

"Naru, where have you been?" Madoka cried as she jumped up from her seat and looked at Naru. He just shook his head as he looked down at Madoka's teary face.

"Where is she?" he asked. Madoka looked at Ayako who promptly answered.

"She's in surgery. The nurse said that she would come get us when Mai was in recovery." Ayako told him. He didn't pay any heed to her as he made his way to the nurse's station. Within moments he was being led down a hall and the others shared looks of surprise.

"What on earth did he say to them?" Ayako asked and the others who just shrugged at her question.

Madoka shared a look with Lin and the man shrugged. She looked back at the hall that the nurse had just taken Naru down. She prayed silently in her mind as she took her seat that she had vacated moments earlier.

* * *

Naru watched through the Intensive Care Unit window as doctors swarmed around Mai. She had just been wheeled into the room from surgery. Naru had talked with the doctor and the man had assured Naru that he had cut off the bleeding and that Mai would be fine.

The doctor had also told him that she would be rather loopy for the next few days. Naru wondered how that would differ from normal. He had asked when he would be able to visit Mai and the doctor had requested that he wait until the doctors had finished checking her over in the ICU unit. Naru didn't like the way that she looked so pale and sickly on that bed.

'It doesn't matter what she looks like, she's alive. That's all that matters. That's _all_ that matters.' he told himself. But he couldn't help but think that she looked so fragile as she lay on the bed with her eyes closed and her skin having a grey tint to it.

"Dr. Davis?" he looked up at the sound of his voice and saw that one of the nurses that had been checking Mai's vitals was standing there looking hesitant.

"Yes?" he asked, wishing he could look back at Mai. What if she slipped away when he wasn't looking?

"You can go in now, sir. The doctors have cleared her for you to visit." she told him. He nodded before entering the now empty ICU room except for a sleeping Mai. He went over and pulled the curtains over the window that he had been looking in through.

He turned to look at Mai and gave a soft sigh. She had an IV in her arm and a breathing tube in her mouth and taped down. There was also a heart monitor attached to her and Naru realized that he never wanted to see this again. Why hadn't he pushed her out of the way?

'_You were thirty feet away, you may be a good runner, but _no one_ is that good._' Gene told him. Naru just nodded to himself before he sat down in the chair beside her bed. He kept telling himself that she would be okay. The doctor had even said that Mai was the strongest person he had ever operated on. The doctor had admitted that he thought he had lost her two or three times but Mai had refused to give up.

'That's my assistant.' Naru thought. He gave into the urge to reach out and take her hand in his. He felt his heart clench slightly as her hand remained limp in his as he sat there for what seemed hours before the nurses came in and said that Mai's room was ready. Naru moved out of the way and watched as they moved her and he followed.

He had only sat down beside Mai's new bed before the others rushed in, asking what the doctor had told him. He told them before looking at Ayako, Takigawa, Lin, and Madoka and they all knew what was coming.

"I want the four of you to return to the ship and I want an exorcism done on every room in that boat. I don't care if Carol tries to capsize it or set it on fire. I want her _off_ that boat, one way or another." he told them. Everyone noticed the cold glint in his eyes and they all realized that Carol had taken it one step to far.

"Of course. I'll need time to prepare. I'm going to use the strongest methods that I was taught." Ayako said. Takigawa nodded in agreement before the two left to gather their supplies and prepare for the ceremonies.

"I suppose we'll go take the equipment and stuff down so that she should set the boat on fire we won't have to explain to the insurance company why our cameras were on the ship to began with." Madoka said before she and Lin left as well.

"I am glad the Lord helped Mai in her time of need, Davis-san." John said with his gentle smile. Naru nodded in agreement before looking up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He saw that it was Masako with a kind smile on her face.

"Maybe you are realizing just what she is to you. John-kun, would you escort me back to the hotel so that I may give some insight to Takigawa and Ayako about how to go about this without upsetting Carol even further?" she asked. The priest nodded before they both left as well with Yasuhara behind.

"Boss, you will call us should anything change?" the bespectacled boy threw over his shoulder at the black haired boy. Naru just nodded before he heard the click of the door closing behind Yasuhara. He continued to watch Mai's pale face as she lay there unconscious, her hair lying limply beneath her head.

* * *

"Is that everything?" Madoka asked as she was getting ready to close the back of the van. She and Lin had packed everything up as far as she knew. She was going through the list mentally in her mind before Lin handed her the clipboard.

"That's everything. Lock the van up, Naru called and said that he wanted us to stay with Monk-sand and Ayako so that they'll have someone with each of them as they go through with the exorcism." he told her. Madoka nodded in understanding. She had suspected as much from Naru.

"Right. Here comes a cab." Madoka pointed at the yellow cab that had pulled into the parking lot. Ayako and Takigawa climbed out and the monk paid the cab driver before it took off again. They walked over and met the other two members of their small group.

"So...who is going with who?" Ayako asked.

* * *

Mai was standing on the ship, not really understanding how she got there. The last thing she remembered was pain engulfing her as she looked up at the blue sky. They had been going to eat lunch, she remembered that, and then she was looking up at the sky before everything went black. After a little while she found herself standing on the deck of the ship.

'What is going on?' she asked herself as she watched Lin, Madoka, Ayako, and Takigawa board the ship before disappearing below the deck. 'They can't see me!' she realized.

She suddenly found herself standing in the Captain's room. She watched as Ayako and Madoka entered it. Ayako began to perform her ceremony to cleanse the room. Mai felt the floor shaking beneath her feet before she saw the shadow lurking in the corner.

"Watch out! Get out! GET OUT!!" she screamed as panic gripped her. She screamed as everything went black before her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring up into Naru's eyes. She realized that she was in a hospital and that he was bending over her. She tried to say something but realized something was covering her mouth.

She reached up and grabbed the lapel of his jacket as she panicked. How was she supposed to tell him what was wrong. She saw his eyebrows knit together in confusion and she realized that he knew something was wrong. But how was she supposed to tell him?

"Mai, calm down. The others just left, they'll be back later." he told her. He suddenly wished that he hadn't sent them on errands, he didn't know the first thing about handling what looked like a panicked Mai. He wasn't exactly sure how she was awake on all the medication that the doctor had her on.

'Madoka! Gene, help me!' Mai thought before she felt him touch her mind and she felt relief wash through her. 'Gene, tell him Madoka is in danger! She's on the ship with Ayako! Carol is going to try and kill her! I just saw it!' she sent the older twin, hoping that he would understand.

'_Noll, call Lin! Mai just told me she saw that Madoka was in danger on that ship. Call him!_' Gene sent to Naru. Naru jerked back before catching Mai's eye. He saw that she was watching him with wide eyes that were begging him to understand. He nodded before pulling back slightly and taking his cell phone out.

He waited as Lin's phone rang before finally the man answered. And Naru noticed that there was a panicked note in the older man's voice. He listened as the man talked before he hung up and he looked at Mai. She blinked at him as he went over.

"Do you have the key Madoka gave you to her apartment in Japan?" he asked and he watched Mai's eyes go wide. She motioned at her purse that had been brought in. He took it over to her and she rummaged through it before pulling her key ring out. She slipped Madoka's key off her ring. She handed it to Naru and he took it.

Before he could do a reading on it Mai reached out and grabbed his hand. She looked at him with wide eyes. She knew what it meant when he had asked for the key. She knew what he as going to do and she knew what that had to mean. Madoka was missing and the others on the ship couldn't find her.

'_Noll, take her hand and hold tight. I can amplify through her when you do the reading. Lin's shiki won't be able to find her, he's to preoccupied for them to their job correctly._' Gene said. Naru turned his hand so that he was holding Mai's tightly and she closed her eyes, obviously understanding what she was supposed to do.

'Gene?' Naru called out as he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Madoka's key. He felt Gene's presence touch him and Naru sent his awareness into Madoka's key and instantly saw where she was, scared and alone.

Naru opened his eyes and let the key drop to the floor. He looked at Mai and watched her open her eyes. Their eyes locked and he nodded to signal that he knew where Madoka was.

'Go! Save her!' Mai thought as she pushed him slightly with her hand that had been gripping his. He turned and left the hospital room with the door shutting behind him firmly. Mai closed her eyes and prayed fervently.

'Please, Naru. Please get to her in time. Please.' Mai begged softly before her whole world went black and became blissfully unaware of everything that was going on.

* * *

So, there it is. The climax is coming soon and I know in my mind what is going to happen now. However...with my mind it can change at the drop of a hat. Remember to review so that that author is happy. You never know, maybe if I get a lot...I may stop leaving you hanging all the time! Kieno0324


	18. Ghost Ship: Chapter 17

Naru ran up the gangplank and onto the deck where he almost knocked Antoinette and Ayako down. They all stared at each other for a moment before Naru gained his bearings once more. His mentor was in danger and if he didn't get to her soon she would be dead.

"Antoinette, where is your engine room?" he demanded of the woman. She blinked in surprise before frowning.

"Why does it matter?" she asked. Naru growled softly. He remembered seeing an old engine wherever Madoka was. And Antoinette was always talking about the old engine that they had that never started.

"Because I know where she is at." he told her coolly. He saw her eyes widen before she started running in the opposite direction that she had been going with Ayako and Naru on her heels.

* * *

Mai's eyes opened slowly and she realized that she was dreaming rather quickly. The fact that she could move freely and even move her mouth were big hints. She slowly pushed herself before she felt someone put their hands beneath her armpits and haul her up. She looked over her shoulder to see Gene standing there looking rather worried.

"Did he go after her?" he asked. She nodded as she twisted her hands. She realized that they were standing in what looked like space. She looked at Gene curiously and he shook his head.

"Carol has learned how to block me. I don't know how. I've tried several times to project onto the ship. I keep getting blocked." he told her. She scowled suddenly and he was reminded greatly of his younger brother when he was in a bad mood.

"I am really beginning to wish that she would just get over herself and move on! She's caused enough pain and havoc to last forever. Lin doesn't deserve to have to suffer because Carol can't get on with her life! Or her afterlife as the case may be!" Mai snapped angrily. Gene gave a soft sigh. She was right.

"If Noll knows where she is, then everything will be okay. He'll find her and if Lin is with him then Madoka will certainly be okay. Lin won't let anything else happen to her if he can help it." Gene assured her and Mai gave a soft sigh before nodding in agreement.

"You're right. I wish I had a guy like him to care for me." she whispered softly before suddenly Gene laughed loudly. She looked at him confused and he shook his head at her.

"You do. He's a bit of a dork and really doesn't understand human emotion...but he protects you as fiercely as anyone else I've seen protecting someone that they love. Even if he _is_ an idiot scientist." Gene told her gently. He watched Mai's cheeks flare before she turned away and he saw how her shoulders were slumped.

"He doesn't care about me. I've told him twice how I felt, one time he brushed me off saying I loved you, which I do in a sisterly sense, and the second time he just stared at me." Mai whispered. Gene walked over to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with teary eyes.

"He does. Noll has never been one for emotions but when the time comes...he'll be able to tell you how he feels. That much I know." Gene told her. She wiped her tears as she took comfort in his words. They both looked around as their surroundings began to change and Mai immediately recognized it. They were in the engine room of the ship.

"Madoka!!" Mai cried as she saw the young woman lying on her side and unconscious. Mai looked at Gene and saw that he was staring at the woman worried. Mai's head snapped up as she saw a shadow move and Catherine appeared looking mad and snarling.

"She's possessed by Carol." Gene whispered. Mai looked at the woman and felt her heart drop as Catherine pulled a knife out. She really didn't want to think about that knife.

"She's going to hurt her! How are we supposed to stop her?!" Mai cried as she watched the woman raised the knife to strike the unconscious woman on the floor.

"Catherine!!" Mai looked at the door and felt her eyes widen. Standing in the doorway was Antoinette, Ayako, and Naru. Mai felt relief sweep through her as she looked at Naru with wide eyes. She watched as Lin and Takigawa soon joined the group at the door.

"Madoka!" Lin called. Mai saw the woman groan before Mai gasped as Catherine bent down and put her knife against Madoka's neck. Mai felt tears in her eyes as Madoka's eyes opened and she jerked back as she felt the cool metal of the knife.

"Stay back or she's dead. Don't even twitch!" Catherine snarled. Mai watched as Lin froze. She bit her lip and looked at Gene who was scowling and she reached over and touched his arm. He looked at her and she wondered if he would be able to do what she asked.

"Can you call Jacob?" she asked. She saw him blink in surprise before he nodded. His eyes closed and she watched the scene in front of her with apprehensive eyes before she felt another presence beside her and she looked down to see the little boy and he looked up at her worried.

"Mommy's trying to hurt the lady again." Jacob said sadly. Mai knelt down beside the ghost boy and gave him a kind smile.

"I need you to try and get her attention away from the lady so that her husband can save her." Mai said with a smile. Jacob returned it.

"Yeah. Her husband really loves her. My daddy didn't love my mommy. Probably because daddy wasn't my_ real_ daddy." the boy said sadly. Mai looked up at Gene with wide eyes and he shook his head obviously not knowing what the ghost was saying.

"What do you mean, Jacob?" she asked. He looked at her with sad eyes before he wiped his eyes as tears were trailing down his face.

"My daddy's brother hurt my mommy really badly." he whispered and Mai looked up at Gene wide eyed before back down at the boy. They didn't have time, she had to help save Madoka before Catherine's hand slipped.

"That isn't your fault. Your daddy loved you. We have so much evidence that he searched for you before he had to leave because your mommy framed her suicide as a murder that he committed. But right now we have to save the lady before your mommy takes her life away." Mai whispered. Jacob nodded in agreement.

"Right. Mommy has hurt enough nice ladies." he agreed before turning to Catherine who suddenly looked up and started to shake as Jacob materialized in front of everyone and Mai heard sharp intakes of breath. She looked over and saw that Lin's eyes were trained on the knife that was still on Madoka's throat.

"Please stop it, Mommy. She isn't the one that made daddy go away. Aunt Lily didn't make daddy go away. You would never let daddy near you or near me." Jacob said softly. Mai saw Catherine's, or Carol's, eyes widen before she scowled.

"You were to young to even know what he and that...bitch were doing! And this one will die!" Catherine snarled as she pressed the knife into Madoka's throat causing her to whimper.

"NO!" Mai cried. She saw Catherine look at her but realized that no one else could see her and she felt tears sliding down her cheeks as she tried to think of a way to get Madoka away from Catherine.

"Carol, I know...I know what Clarence did was wrong. It wasn't your fault that his brother was a jerk. It wasn't your fault that he couldn't love you. But you can't go around hurting other women because they're happy with their loved one." Mai whispered to the ghost. She watched as Catherine scowled and Madoka cried out as the knife cut even more into her throat.

"Madoka!!" Lin almost went after the girl before Catherine's attention turned to him and she twisted her hand into Madoka's hand. The woman cried out in pain as she tried to twist away from Catherine but had no luck.

"Stop it, Carol. She didn't do anything to you!" Mai begged and Catherine's head turned back to her and she saw the cold glint in the woman's former warm eyes before she was possessed.

"Back off, you twerp! You aren't even really here. She's as good as dead!" Catherine snarled. Mai looked over to her side and felt her eyes widen when she saw Gene was gone.

"Gene?!" Mai cried before turning back to Madoka and Catherine as Madoka tried to stop the knife from sliding across her throat as Catherine turned the blade so it the sharp side was lying on her pulse point. 'NO!'

* * *

'_Noll, you have to get her away from Madoka._' Gene spoke in his brother's head and Naru nodded to himself.

'Will you be able to amplify without using Mai as a source?' Naru asked and he felt a squeeze on his shoulder.

'_It will take a lot but yes. You'll feel tired but you should be okay. Right now we have to save her!_' Gene shouted in his brother's head.

'I have to start small and see what happens. After all, throwing Catherine across the room could hurt her and then Madoka will hurt _me_.' Naru told him before he focused on the knife in Catherine's hand. He saw it began to shake in her hand and saw her eyes widen in surprise. He moved his gaze to the wall and watched as the knife flew from Catherine's hand and embedded into the wall.

"You." she hissed at him. He narrowed his eyes as he stayed on his guard as she replaced the knife with her hand on Madoka's throat. Madoka was clawing at the woman's hand, trying desperately to get away before gasping softly in pain as Catherine dug her knee into Madoka's side.

"Let her go or the next time you'll be flying to the wall." he warned her. He could still feel Gene holding his shoulder. The older brother wanted Naru to throw her into the wall right then and there but Naru wanted it to be more satisfying. He watched as her eyes narrowed before she tightened her grip around Madoka's throat and the woman choked, in desperate need of air.

"STOP IT!" the ghost boy that had appeared cried but it did no good. Naru scowled before he focused his attention on Catherine and then moving his gaze to the wall behind her and she screamed as she flew into the wall. Naru sighed as he felt Gene's presence disappear and he turned to Ayako.

"Exorcise her now." he commanded. The priestess immediately went to the stunned girl and began to perform the ritual. Naru held his arm out as Lin tried to go to Madoka.

"Wait. Carol may try to attack again." he told the older man. He could see the worry that Lin had in his eyes as he begrudgingly did as the young man had ordered. They all watched as Carol burst from Catherine's body and she stood before them scowling.

"DIE!!" she screamed and no one was able to move fast enough as the knife moved from the wall and Madoka screamed as the knife buried into her arm. There was no stopping Lin as he rushed to her side and pulled the knife out. He was about to send his shiki out before a touch on his arm made him look down and Madoka shook her head.

"Watch." was all she said.

* * *

Mai watched in horror as all the ghosts that were on the boat began to attack Carol and Jacob suddenly disappeared. Mai looked away with tears in her eyes before Gene reappeared in front of her with a smile on his face. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

"It's time for you to go back." he told her. She nodded and felt her eyes slip close for a moment before she reopened them. When she did she realized that she could move her mouth and she looked over and saw the nurse at her IV.

"Well, look who's up. The doctor took you off oxygen so you should be able to talk now. Anyway, you'll be sore for a few days and the doctor wants to keep you for about a week and then see how those stitches are doing." the nurse told her. Mai nodded and thanked her before she used her remote to make the bed sit her up and she felt a smile spread across her face. Everything was going to be okay.

A few hours later everyone was in her hospital room telling her what happened. She noticed that Lin and Madoka were missing. She asked where they had went and everyone had exchanged looks.

"They wanted to spend sometime alone. We didn't argue, I couldn't imagine what Lin was going through, having to watch that." Takigawa said. Mai nodded before looking at Naru who was reading a book and ignoring the rest of the group.

Hours passed that were filled with laughter before everyone, with the exception of Naru, left. Mai sat in the silence before she glanced at him and saw that he was still reading and she frowned. It didn't look as though he had gotten any further in the book than he had been when she had last looked at him.

"Naru?" she asked softly. He looked up from the book and she bit her lip as he closed it. She wished that she had something else to say but she suddenly found herself speechless.

"What is it, Mai?" he asked. She bit her lip before she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"I'll get out of the hospital in time for your birthday." she told him. She saw him raise an eyebrow before he stood up and stretched his leg in the silence.

"I see." he spoke before walking over to her window. She gave a soft sigh as she watched him before looking down at her hands that were resting in her lap.

"It's not wrong to celebrate your birthday. Gene would want you to celebrate it for both of you." she told him. He turned towards her and gave a soft sigh before he returned to his seat and picked up his book.

"Get some rest, Mai." he told her before leaving the room. Mai shook her head before she made her bed go flat once more and she buried her head into her pillow. She only realized that she was crying when she felt the moisture on the pillow.

'Naru...why won't you let me in?' she asked herself as she wiped at her eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the tears but with no luck. They wouldn't stop coming until she fell into a deep sleep that held no dreams for her.

* * *

"Madoka..." he whispered into her hair as held her tightly as they sat in their living room. He felt her shift in his arms and he wished that he could pull her closer and never let her go. She pulled back slightly and leaned up and kissed him on the mouth and when they pull apart she buried her head against his shoulder as tears welled in her eyes.

"I was so scared. I...thought..." she couldn't finish the sentence as the sob caught in her throat. She felt his arms tighten around her body and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're not. That's all that matters." he told her and she gave a small humorless laugh before she pulled away and shook her head.

"All of this is my fault. If I hadn't insisted that Antoinette ask for help Mai wouldn't be in the hospital and you wouldn't refuse to let me out of your sight." Madoka told him. He chuckled before he brushed her hair out of her face and gave her a gentle smile.

"That's in the past, Madoka. Carol is gone, John did a prayer for the boat. The case is over and now we can focus on more important things." he told her. She smiled at him before returning to his arms before a thought struck her.

"Lin...this case is over, you're right. But I forced Noll to come to England and there's no doubt that he wants to go back to Japan." she whispered in apprehension. She saw his eyes widen as he comprehended what she was asking.

"And I'll be staying here. He'll be eighteen and I've got my own child to look after." he assured her. She blushed before nodding and hiding her face against his shoulder once more. Lin felt a smile on his face as he placed his head on top of hers and they both fell asleep in the silence of their apartment.

* * *

Over a week later Mai was at the Davis residence singing 'Happy Birthday' to Naru with everyone else. While he didn't look particularly happy about having to endure the song he was taking it all in stride. For that Mai had to give him points. He blew the candles out on his cake before Luella pushed Mai closer to Naru and almost into him if the boy hadn't steadied her.

"Mother." Naru reprimanded and the woman just smiled at her son before handing him the knife to cut the cake with.

"Cut the cake together. She knew Gene and deserves to be part of our life." the older woman said. Mai and Naru had explained to his parents about her dreams and Mai had told them that Gene loved them. It had brought tears to their eyes before they had thanked her for all her help with finding Gene's body, even though Mai didn't think she had very much to do with it. But she had understood the message.

"This is Naru's birthday." Mai objected before sighing at the look Luella was giving her. She put her hand over Naru's and helped him cut the cake. She looked up and felt her eyes widen as she saw Gene standing in the corner with that smile on his face and she smiled with tears in her eyes.

'Happy Birthday.' she sent to him and his smile grew before he faded away and she turned with a smile on her face to Naru. "Happy Birthday, Oliver."

* * *

"You will call us when the baby is born?" Mai asked for the last time as she hugged Madoka good-bye. They were at the airport and everyone except for her and Naru had boarded the plane. Madoka laughed before nodding.

"Yes. You will come to visit." it wasn't a question but a command. A command that Mai had every intention of following.

"As soon as summer comes of course. Good luck." she whispered before hugging Madoka on last time and moving to Lin as they called their plane for the last time.

"Mai..." Naru called. Mai smiled before turning and running towards the black haired boy with a good-bye over her shoulder and the two watched as she and Naru disappeared into the crowd.

"I hope they'll be okay." Madoka whispered as Lin wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"They will be." he told her. "If Noll will get over himself."

They waited until they watched as the plane carrying all of the members of the Japanese SPR members took off. Madoka smiled as she imagine all that was happening on the plane. She and Lin slowly walked out of the airport hand-in-hand.

* * *

This isn't the end. Nowhere near it actually! It's the end of the case, that's true...but there are a few things that I still have in mind which will make the story a bit longer, yay! Remember to review, everyone. I loved the response I got for the last chapter! Bye! Kieno0324


	19. Ghost Ship: Chapter 18

It was the middle of February and the Shibuya District was covered in snow. Mai thought that it looked rather romantic. She was currently sipping at a cup of hot chocolate that she had just made herself after making Naru his cup of tea. She sighed in appreciation at the warmth of the drink.

She jumped slightly as the phone rang. She hadn't been expecting it as the office had been rather quiet that day. She reached out and grabbed the phone and brought it to her ear as she wondered who was calling them.

"Hello, SPR offices, how can I help you?" Mai said brightly. She blinked as she heard ragging breath on the other end.

"Mai?" the voice asked and Mai recognized it as Lin's voice on the other end and she wondered why he was breathing so hard.

"Speaking, is that you, Lin-san?" she asked.

"Yes. I have a son! I have a son, Mai!" Lin cried. Mai began to laugh in elation at the news.

"Oh, congratulations, Lin-san! What's his name? How much did he weigh?" she bombarded the man with questions and she heard him chuckle.

"His name is Deshi Lin and he weighed eight pounds exactly. He's 19 inches long." he added in before she could even ask.

"Well, send us some pictures, okay? Get back to your family, Lin-san." she told him gently.

"Before I hang up, I just called Brown-san. He's going to Christen Deshi in May and Madoka wanted to know if you and Naru would be able to come." Lin said. Mai checked her calendar and felt a smile spread across her face.

"Yes. What's the date?" she asked him. He gave her the date and she circled it before once again telling him that he needed to go back to his family. She hung up before walking into Naru's office without any invitation. She stood there and stared at him as he read his book before he looked up with a scowl on his face.

"Is there something you wanted, Taniyama?" he asked. She rolled her eyes and heaved a large sigh. Ever since they had returned from England he had pushed himself away from everyone. And now that he lived alone Mai couldn't get anyone to spy on him and tell her what had him so annoyed.

"Lin-san just called." she told him. She watched as he raised an eyebrow. She smirked at him as she waited for him to ask what the Chinese man wanted. She could see the defeat in his eyes as he realized she wasn't going to tell him anything without him asking.

"What did Lin want?" he asked finally after what seemed like hours of a staring contest between him and Mai.

"Madoka just had the baby. It's a boy and they named him Deshi. They've invited us to his Christening on May 10th and we _are_ going." she told him. He quirked an eyebrow before shrugging as he turned back to his book and continued to read his book. He heard her huff angrily.

"Somehow I don't think you'd even be excited about _your_ own child being born!" she told him with a frown. He looked up from his book with a raised eyebrow and a devilish smirk on his face that instantly had her regretting even speaking. She _knew_ that smirk.

"Is that an invitation?" he asked. He watched as her face turned beat red before she screamed as she turned and stormed out of the office, making sure that she slammed the door behind her. He chuckled at the reaction, she was the easiest person that he knew that he could get a reaction out of.

He continued to read his book but he allowed his lips to twitch into something resembling a smile. He could say that he was glad that the baby had been born and Mai hadn't said anything about the baby being unhealthy. Naru chuckled as he thought about all the sleepless nights that his mentor and former guardian would go through. Revenge really was worth waiting for.

'_Stop smirking like that, you dolt._' Gene snapped angrily. Naru's mouth stretched into a full out smirk.

'Still can't go to sleep?' he asked. He heard Gene growl angrily.

'_No! I don't know why but this is tiring!!! You try staying up for five months straight! It isn't natural!_' Gene's voice had a whining tone in it.

'Have you contacted Mai?' Naru asked. He heard Gene sigh and wondered what it meant.

'_Yes. She believes that it's because you don't have a mirror with you at all times to allow me to rest so that you can wake me when you need me. She believes I'm staying awake because I acted as an amplifier on the last case._' Gene said. Naru frowned before sighing himself.

'That sounds right. How am I supposed to carry a mirror with me all the time though?' Naru sent back. He heard Gene chuckle before the older boy sent an image of Naru lugging a floor length mirror everywhere with him.

'Ha ha. Go away.' Naru snapped. He heard Gene chuckle.

'_Am I annoying you, brother?_' Gene asked with another chuckle and Naru growled.

'Yes. You're worse now that I can't hit you.' Naru told him.

'_Good. Actually, I think there is a better way to let me go back to sleep._' Gene mentioned and Naru frowned. Where was he taking this? Suddenly Gene sent him another image of him with his arm around Mai. Naru felt his cheeks tint, unusual enough for him, before he growled angrily.

'That is it. Say good-bye, Gene.' he thought before cutting the connection off. He huffed, something unusual once again for him, before he slammed his book down and stood up from his desk. As he headed towards the door he heard the front door open and he held back a groan.

"Hello, Mai!! What was so urgent that you made us come in?" Takigawa's voice floated through the door. Naru opened his door and entered the room, not that anyone noticed his presence, not even Masako. He was slightly grateful that she had finally left him alone. Although she now seemed determined to annoy him until he admitted to Mai what he felt about her.

"Lin-san called me! He and Madoka are parents!" Mai said brightly and everyone jumped up in elation. Naru managed to slip out of the office unnoticed and was glad to get away from the noise that was beginning to build in his office.

'Tylenol. I need to buy Tylenol. Lots and lots of it.' he told himself as he made his way to the bottom of the building of his office.

* * *

The warm weather of May found Naru and Mai knocking on Lin and Madoka's apartment door. Mai looked at Naru and he had to stop himself from smiling at the anxious look on Mai's face. Ever since Lin had sent him pictures and he had shown them to her she hadn't been able to stop talking about the baby.

"Oh, hi! Come in and put your bags down. Make yourselves at him." Madoka greeted them as she opened the door. They heard a baby's cry and Madoka gave them a smile before ushering them into the apartment. She closed the door behind them before Lin entered the room with a bundle in his arms,

"This is Deshi. He's fussy because Mommy hasn't had much time to fix his bottle yet. Excuse me." Madoka disappeared into the kitchen. Lin smiled at Mai before letting her hold the baby and her eyes went wide at the weight in her arms. She smiled down at the now quiet baby.

"Of course. The minute I hand you off, you quit." Lin told Deshi and the baby giggled as he wriggled and Mai tightened her grip on the baby until he stopped moving. She looked around until she saw the couch and sat down with the baby comfortably in her arms.

"He's going to look like you, Lin-san." she told him as she looked up at the Chinese man. He chuckled softly. She looked back down at the baby that had black peach fuzz and bright grey eyes.

"You're right. If I hadn't carried him for nine months I wouldn't think he was mine." Madoka laughed before she handed Mai a bottle. The young girl looked at her panicked before Madoka showed her how to feed Deshi.

"You're a natural." Madoka told her and Mai blushed at the praise.

"How are you feeling?" Naru asked the older woman. He had been looking at Mai with darkened eyes, eyes that Lin had classified as possessive.

'Undoubtedly imagining her cradling _his_ baby.' Lin thought with a hidden smirk as he thought about that image. Luella would never leave Mai and Naru alone. Everyone knew the woman was secretly longing for grandchildren, never mind her son was only eighteen years old.

"I was tired after the birth but Lin was great. Martin gave both of us time off to take care of the baby. Lin has already returned and Deshi isn't happy about it. Did the others come?" she asked suddenly and Mai spoke up.

"Yes, they're at the hotel. Ayako wanted to go shopping for a dress to wear to the Christening and Masako and Takigawa went with her. John was already here." Mai said and Madoka smiled.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Madoka asked the two guests and they both shook their heads. Mai giggled as Deshi managed to push the bottle out of his mouth and Lin took it from her. She blushed slightly as Naru sat down beside her as the parents disappeared into the kitchen.

"Do you want to hold him?" Mai asked. Naru hesitated before taking the baby and letting Mai lead his hands so that he was holding the baby correctly. Deshi seemed to like being in his arms as the baby snuggled against him and promptly fell asleep.

"Aw, he likes you, Naru." Mai whispered as she brought her feet up underneath and she leaned over Naru's shoulder to look at the baby's sleeping face. Naru was extremely aware of her closeness to his body. He could feel her breath on his shoulder and her knees were touching his thigh.

"Hmm." he replied. Mai shook her head but decided not to yell at him. After all she didn't want to scare the baby in Naru's arms. They looked up as Lin and Madoka entered the room.

"Oh, here I'll take him to the nursery. Mai, will you come and help me pick something out for him to wear to the Christening?" Madoka asked. Mai nodded as Madoka took the sleeping baby away from Naru and Mai followed her out of the room into the nursery.

"Is there really that much that he can wear?" Mai asked as Madoka put the baby in his crib and covered him up. She turned to Mai with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I couldn't decide between two of his little jumpers. One is baby blue and the other is black and white." she brought out the two jumpers. Mai looked at them before pointing at the baby blue one that Madoka had laid out.

"That one will look better. Although I don't think Deshi will care one way or another when John drops water on his head." Mai giggled. Madoka laughed before nodding agreement. There was a sudden burst of thunder and Mai jumped as Deshi woke up crying.

"Oh, come here, baby." Madoka cooed at the scared baby. She bent down and picked the wailing baby up before Lin entered the room with Naru following behind him. Madoka smiled at him. "Here's daddy." she told the baby as Lin wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Mai jumped as it thundered again. She went over to the nursery window and peered outside and realized that she couldn't see past the rain that was pouring down and she sighed. She let the curtain drop before turning to look at Naru and saw that he had realized the same thing.

"I think we're stuck here. How did the weather change so quickly?" Mai complained. Madoka gave a soft laugh as she handed Deshi to Lin and retrieved the baby's blanket from the crib. She went back to Lin and Deshi and managed to wrap the baby slightly in his blanket.

"The weather tends to do that in the Spring. It's unpredictable. You're more than welcome to stay the night. I can't see this letting up at any reasonable hour for you to go home." Madoka said with a smile. Mai looked at Naru and he nodded.

"I'll call mother and father." he told them before leaving the room and Mai smiled.

"I suppose it's a good thing we came here straight from the airport. We have our bags with our clothes and things in it." Mai said with a grateful smile. She didn't notice the look that Lin and Madoka shared.

"Has he...been any friendlier since you went back to Japan?" Madoka asked. Mai blinked at her before shrugging as she went over and kissed Deshi on the head. The baby giggled, now ignoring the thunder as he was in his father's arms.

"If you count him not demanding tea as often then I suppose so. But not really. Why?" Mai asked with a smile. She saw Madoka look at her with a tilt to her head.

"Mai, speaking of something to drink, would you take Deshi and give him the rest of his bottle. It's in the refrigerator." Madoka said with a smile. Mai nodded before gently taking the baby and he stretched in her arms to try and get away. He soon realized it was no use and stopped fussing. She left the nursery, closing the door behind her.

"Am I the only one that thinks that Noll is being an ass?" Madoka asked angrily and Lin shook his head.

"No, I noticed." Lin agreed. He watched as she put one of Deshi's outfits back into the dresser drawers. He watched as she shut the drawer rather firmly.

"You would think that he would have gotten a wake up call when she got hit by that car and almost _died_." Madoka said softly before she turned away from the dresser drawers.

"You are right. Noll never has been one to read into signs very well." Lin told her and Madoka gave a soft sigh.

"I wish he was. I just can't believe that it hasn't got through his thick head that she is just as fragile as every human. That she, like Gene, could die at any moment. He just doesn't get it." Madoka hissed angrily before huffing and crossing her arms. She felt Lin's arms enclose her and she leaned into his embrace.

"You promised that you would stay out of this, Madoka. We have to let them work this out. Mai can handle herself." Lin told her. She sighed before tilting her head back so that it was resting against his shoulder.

"I know, I know! It's frustrating watching them like this. How did you stand it for so long?" Madoka asked. She felt Lin chuckle.

"A lot of headache medication and hiding in my office all the time." he told her. She laughed softly.

* * *

Mai put the empty bottle down on the counter before she put the baby against her shoulder like she had seen John do at the orphanage that had been at during everyone's first Christmas together. She gently patted the baby's back and jumped slightly as he burped loudly. She pulled him away and raised an eyebrow at him. He giggled and she returned the smile before cradling him once again.

"I could hear that in the living room." Naru said dryly as he entered the kitchen. Mai gave a small giggle as she looked up at him. She shrugged with that small firmly in place.

"Better in than out. Isn't that right, Deshi-chan?" she asked with a bright smile. The baby gave a small giggle as he wiggled happily in her arms. She felt an affectionate smile spread across her face as she looked down at the bundle in her arms. She couldn't stop smiling down at the baby in her arms.

"He's so small. He's so tiny..." Mai whispered as she continued to cradle Deshi. She didn't look up at Naru to see the slight smile on his face. When he realized that he was smiling he immediately wiped it off his face.

"Babies tend to be small." he told her. She looked up at him and glared at him. She turned back to the baby in her arms and watched as he giggled at her face. She shook her head at him before she jumped slightly at the clap of thunder and his chin wobbled.

"Hey, come on, it isn't that scary." Naru jumped in and Mai felt her eyes widen at the soft tone of his voice. She had never seen him so gentle with anyone except the baby that she was holding. She felt her face flaming at the thought of how he would act around his own kids.

"Mai?" she looked up at him and shook her head as she felt her face continue to flare. What was she thinking? She shouldn't be thinking about things like that! She turned her attention back to Deshi as she tried to not look back at Naru.

"How is our baby doing?" Madoka asked as she entered the kitchen with Lin close behind. Mai relinquished her hold on the baby and gave him back to his mother before she gasped as the lights went out and the baby started screaming at the sudden loss of light.

"This should be interesting. Want to order pizza?" Madoka asked over Deshi's screaming. Oh, yes, this would be fun indeed.

* * *

There it is, the new baby joins the frey. Review! I have an idea what the reaction for Takigawa will be to the new baby! My sister's best friend just had her second baby and my little brother got to hold her. He told us that she smelled like a new car. _sigh_ The wonders of having siblings. Anyway, remember to review. I _loved_ reading the response from the last chapter! 


	20. Ghost Ship: Chapter 19

Mai shifted underneath the blanket that Madoka had given her. They were all sleeping in the living room as the heat in the building had gone out shortly after the electricity. Mai had been forced to take the couch while the small family of three slept on a bed of blankets and Naru lay at the bottom of the couch. Deshi was laying on his stomach between his parents and he and Mai were having a staring contest as he kept his head held up.

'This is sad. I'm having a stare down with a four month old.' Mai sighed and shook her head causing her to break his gaze. Deshi gave a giggle before flopping to the floor and breathing loudly when his mother put her hand on his back. 'Nice faking there.'

"Mai, what are you going to accomplish having a staring contest with Deshi?" Naru asked from the bottom of the couch. Mai blinked before she peeked over the edge and saw Naru looking up at her in the dark. The candle light flickered on his face and Mai felt her face flush at the way the light played on his face.

"He's bored. Besides, can you believe that he can already fake snoring like that?" Mai replied softly. She moved up to a sitting position so that he could join her on the couch. She peered at Deshi as he was pushing himself up again as Madoka had moved her hand. He smiled as he saw that Mai was looking at him.

'He's such a cute baby. And sly. There goes the hand again.' Mai smiled as Madoka put her hand back on Deshi's back and he dropped once more and snored loudly so that his mother could hear. Mai knew that neither of the parents were asleep. But she didn't say anything as she knew they were trying to get the baby asleep.

"He's a bit of a trickster." Mai said with a smile to Naru. She felt her cheeks flush once more as she saw that Naru was staring at her. She jumped as he reached up and began to stroke her cheek gently. She felt her eyes widen as he began to lean down to her face. What was he doing?

'I don't care!' she thought as she felt his breath against her lips. She felt his hand move to the base of her head. He pulled her close and his lips brushed against hers slightly before the lights came on and they jumped apart at the sudden light. She could feel her face flare and she had no doubt that her eyes were wide. She touched her lips before she looked over at Lin and Madoka who were looking at them with raised eyebrows.

She stood up and ran to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the wooden door and her breathing was heavy. She felt her the blood in her face as she touched her lips. She could still feel the softness of his lips as they pressed against her own mouth. She looked in the mirror and watched her eyes widen. She hadn't thought that the kiss was very much but her lips were red. She looked like she had been thoroughly kissed.

'Naru...' she thought as she turned the shower on. She shivered slightly before she forced her mind to just feel the water and not about what had just happened.

* * *

Naru was staring up at the ceiling of Lin and Madoka's apartment. He could hear Deshi giving a fight as his parents tried to put him asleep. He thought back to the way Mai had stared up at him as she touched her lips. He groaned before pushing himself off the couch and entering the kitchen.

He wasn't sure what he had been thinking. He had watched as the candle light had played on her features, enhancing her large brown eyes. He hadn't been able to resist bending down to kiss her. He had felt her tense up as his lips had pressed against hers. She had instantly relaxed before the lights had come on and she had jumped away from him.

He looked up as the nursery door opened and Lin walked into the living room with a wailing Deshi. Naru watched as the tall man walked around with the wailing baby laying on his shoulder. Naru exited the kitchen and leaned against the wall. Lin nodded at him but didn't pause in his pacing as the baby began to calm down.

"Is he always like this?" Naru asked. Lin chuckled as he patted the now quiet Deshi on the back.

"No, this is his first blackout, I think it scared him." Lin told the younger man before Madoka came out. Lin handed the now struggling to keep his eyes open baby over. Madoka smiled at Naru before disappearing back into the nursery. Naru sighed and he heard Lin chuckle. He looked at his former assistant with a glare.

"What?" the young man snapped. Lin shook his head. The boy may have gotten older but his personality hadn't changed at all.

"It wasn't exactly hard to figure out what you and Mai were doing before the lights came back on. I suggest you tread carefully." Lin told him before turning and also reentering the nursery. Naru frowned before he looked up as he heard the bathroom door open and Mai walked out in her pajamas and drying her hair with a towel. He looked away from her before heading into the bathroom with his own pajamas in hand.

'Naru?' Mai thought as she turned to look at the closed bathroom door. She felt tears in her eyes. He had just completely ignored her! She placed the towel on the arm of the sofa before laying back down on it and pulling the cover over her. She didn't want to talk to anyone so when Madoka and Lin came back into the room she pretended to be asleep.

She was thankful that they left her alone and turned the lights off. She cuddled even further into the fabric of the couch. She could feel the wetness on her cheeks and she bit her lip so that she wouldn't let out any sound. Why had he ignored her? Did he think it was a mistake? Or had it just been a fluke on his part?

'I'm such an idiot for falling in love with him. He doesn't care about me. But why did he kiss me? Why did he have to go and do that?' she asked herself as she wiped at her tears before closing her eyes and attempting to go to sleep.

Before she lost all consciousness she felt a soft touch on her forehead. And a kiss on her nose. She remembered wriggling her nose before she lost the battle and fell completely into dreamland with no hope of returning to the world of the living until the morning.

* * *

"Amen." John said and everyone's heads rose. Mai watched with a smile on her face as John began the Christening ceremony. Deshi didn't appreciate the water being dropped on his head and wailed as it startled him. John continued the ceremony with a smile on his face before he finished.

"Ah, I don't think he likes me anymore." John laughed as the baby refused to go to anyone else and stayed in his mother's arms.

"He'll forget about it. Would you like to join us for lunch?" Madoka asked. John shook his head with a smile.

"No, thank you. I have to catch a plane to the Vatican in a few hours. I...have some things I need to speak with to my mentor." John told her.

"Very well. Mai, are you coming?" Madoka asked as they all began to leave the church. Mai looked over her shoulder at her friends and nodded with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute!" she told them. She watched as they all left the church before she turned back to John and she saw that he was looking at her rather curiously. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"What's the real reason behind your going to visit the Vatican, John?" she asked him. He gave a soft smile before looking up at the stained glass window in the church depicting the Virgin Mary.

"I have become confused." he told her. He felt her hand on his shoulder and he looked down at her. She was giving him a gentle smile.

"Masako won't push anything." Mai told him. John smiled at her before running a hand through his hair before he brought his hand down to look at it clothed in the outfit of the priest.

"I know that. And yet...for some reason, knowing that...breaks my heart every time I see her. I have to go to the Vatican so I can find the guidance of the Lord and to have some help. To know what I need to do. What He wants me to do." John said. Mai gave him a comforting hug and he returned it gratefully.

"All of your friends are here for you, John. If you ever need us." she told him before bidding him farewell. She left the church and dashed to the SUV that Lin and Madoka had traded Madoka's car for. She slipped into the back seat where the baby seat was between her and Naru. The baby liked being between them apparently.

"Gah! Gah!" he cried waving his arms as Lin pulled out onto the road, following the car that Takigawa had rented from the airport.

"What?" Mai asked the baby and Deshi laughed. He giggled as she started to nuzzle his bear against his stomach. He tried to get away from it but had no luck as he was trapped by the car seat.

"Mai, leave him alone." Naru told her. She glared at him and stuck her tongue out at him. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"If you aren't nice to me I'll teach him the name of _my_ teddy bear. Remember him? Nolly?" Mai told him with a sarcastic look on her face. His eyes widen slightly before he glared at her.

"You wouldn't." he dared her. She smirked at him before turning her attention back to the baby.

"I know you can't talk yet. But I'm going to start teaching you now what to call this man. N-ol-ly." Mai sounded out before Naru's hand was over her mouth and she smiled at him from behind his hand.

"Shut up." he told her and everyone else in the car, even Deshi, laughed at the tone of his voice.

"Isn't that the voice you used whenever Gene annoyed you?" Madoka asked over her shoulder. Naru glared at her and she held her hands up in defeat. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of anymore of Naru's sarcastic comments. According to Lin, although she didn't notice it, her temper had gotten much worse since her pregnancy.

"I don't want your son calling me _that_ ridiculous nickname." Naru said with narrowed eyes before suddenly he looked at Mai as she huffed angrily.

"It is _not_ a ridiculous name!" Mai said indignantly. He raised an eyebrow and she sighed in defeat. "Okay...so maybe it is. But, still, it'd be cute hearing him saying it!"

"And I would prefer not having to hear that more than I have to." he told her. She rolled her eyes before she turned back to the baby and Naru's attention went with it. They kept the baby entertained until Lin pulled into the parking lot of the café that they had chose to celebrate at.

"Why don't you go on in, while we get Deshi out?" Madoka said with a smile as the two teenagers continued to argue about anything and everything. She sighed as she watched them walk to the café, refusing to look at each other.

"They will never get along." Madoka said as she began to unbuckle Deshi from his car seat. She pulled the baby out of the car and turned to Lin. He had the baby carrier and she put Deshi in it before gasping as Lin pulled her to his side with his free hand.

"Koujo!" she gasped as his mouth descended onto hers. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss with her hand fisted in the front of shirt. They would have stayed like that if Deshi hadn't decided they'd spent enough time kissing. They broke apart and Madoka giggled down at her son as he looked put out.

"He's already learning the expressions." she told Lin. She took the carrier as Lin closed all the doors and locked the car. They made their way to the café where the others were waiting on them.

"There they are. Deshi was such a good baby today." Luella said brightly as they all made their way into the café. The waiter seated them before he fetched a high chair so that Madoka could put the carrier on.

"Has he started sitting up yet?" Masako asked from where she was sitting between Ayako and Mai.

"He's trying but he's not big enough yet. He can lift his head up and even push part of his body up but that's it." Madoka said. She took the pacifier that Lin held out to her and she gave it Deshi. The baby took it with no fuss and she kissed him on the forehead before turning to her menu.

"Um..." Mai bit her lip as she looked down at the menu. She gave a soft sigh before looking up and blinking as she met deep blue eyes staring at her with a black eyebrow arched over one.

"Mai?" he made her name into a question. She felt her cheeks flare slightly before she explained.

"I may be able to speak English decently thanks to Madoka and Lin. But I'm still horrible at reading it." she admitted with a blush. Naru sighed before pulling her and her menu closer to him and she squeaked softly at the sudden closeness. Her blush intensified as he read the menu to her in her ear. She was relieved when the waiter came and she told him what she wanted. She moved away from Naru and tried to calm down her quickly beating heart.

'What is he playing at? First he kisses me, then ignores me, and now...he's _flirting_ with me?' Mai thought to herself as she looked at the table biting her lip.

"You're a Senior now, aren't you, Mai?" Martin asked and she looked across the table at the older man. She furrowed her brow before nodding.

"Yes, but we call them Fourth Years. You had me confused." she said brightly as she pushed her previous thoughts to the back of her mind as she talked to everyone else around the table, with Deshi jumping in with his own version of talking every once in a while.

"Your birthday isn't to far off, is it?" Madoka suddenly asked the girl and Mai blinked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting the sudden question.

"It's in July. July 3rd to be exact." Mai said with a bright smile on her face and everyone was infected by her happiness. Even Naru, though he refused to show it.

"And you'll be eighteen?" Luella asked. Mai nodded before she leaned back as the waiter set her food down in front of her and he quickly delivered everyone else their meals.

"That's a big year, even though someone in this room refused to let us decorate for it." Luella sent a look at Naru. The boy refused to raise to the bait, knowing that his mother was irked at him. He just no longer felt like celebrating his birthday now that Gene was gone.

"I know. I don't have anything planned for it yet." she said. They all soon fell silent as they ate. Afterwards they were all laughing, except for Naru once again, at a joke that Takigawa had told. Even Masako was giggling.

"Hey, you're birthday is only a little over a month away. And you are on summer break...why don't you stay here until your birthday and we could celebrate?" Luella offered and Mai blinked.

"We can't, mother. I still have an office in Japan and Mai is my assistant." Naru jumped in. His mother sent another look at him.

"And you can close the office for summer break. Get over it, Noll. You _aren't_ going anywhere." Luella said brightly. Naru scowled before his face grew slack once more.

"But, I don't want everyone else have to pay for the hotel bill for all that time, Luella." Mai tried. She knew that Naru really didn't want to stay in England longer than he had to. Although she didn't understand. This was where he grew up and yet he seemed to like being in Japan. 'Even though he can't read Kanji. I suppose I can't say anything though considering I can't read English. We're even I suppose.'

"Then everyone can stay at our house until then. Besides, there will certainly be cases that Noll can investigate!" Luella said brightly. Mai sighed and sent Naru a 'I tried' look. He sighed as well before rubbing his forehead. His mother had won. She usually did.

'_That's how she is_.' Gene told him and Naru frowned.

'I thought I told you to leave me alone.' Naru snapped. He heard Gene laugh and he felt his scowl deepen.

'_And you bought Tylenol as far as I know. So I'm allowed to annoy you as much as I want!_' Gene said brightly. Naru blinked before dropping his head before he growled softly.

'Says who?' he sent back.

'_Says me, your wonderful older brother, Eugene Davis!_' Gene sent back and Naru let out a breath. He had influenced his brother to much in his opinion.

'You've been around me to long.' Naru said softly. He heard Gene laugh before agreeing. He then felt Gene fade away and Naru looked at Mai as she laughed at something that Ayako had said.

* * *

"Has Noll left you behind again?" Luella asked of the girl as she sat at a desk that they had set up for her during the short period of time that she and the others would be there.

"Yep. He's...been avoiding me ever since we got here." Mai said softly. She knew why he was avoiding her. She didn't understand though. She wished she did. She hoped that maybe understanding would ease the pain in her heart.

"Did something happen in Japan?" Luella asked. Mai looked up at the woman and smiled. She shook her head before she stood up and said she was going to make some tea. She entered the kitchen and began to prepare the beverage before she felt a touch on the back of her mind.

'_Mai, what's wrong?_' Gene asked. Mai blinked in surprise before a smile spread across her face.

'Nothing, now that you're here.' she told him. She felt a brush against her cheek and knew that he didn't believe her.

'_What has that idiot done this time?_' Gene demanded and Mai gave a smile. She supposed Gene was one of the people that she could tell. At least he wouldn't try to hurt Naru. Anyone else she could tell was alive and would try to harm Naru.

'Nothing. That's part of the problem. Something happened a few days ago between us and he's ignored me since. More than normal, he hasn't demanded for me to make tea in days.' Mai thought sadly. She had never thought that she would miss him ordering tea all the time.

'_He's...always pushed those that he cares for away._' he told her. She gave a soft sigh. She continued to make tea and swallowed back the sudden tears that were trying to escape her eyes. She wiped at her eyes stubbornly. She was tired of crying over him all the time!

'I don't get it, Gene. I mean, I thought for once that he was thawing out. I guess...I guess I was wrong.' Mai thought with a weak smile that really meant nothing.

'_I don't know what to say to comfort you, Mai. I suppose the only reason I ever got a response out of him was because I was his brother. And he had no choice but to tell me_.' Gene replied. Mai wiped at her tears. '_I'm going to go now, are you going to be alright?_'

'Yeah.' she sent him. She bit her lip before turning to the tea pot as it whistled. She poured the warm water out and added a tea bag. She stirred the water and tea before she picked the cup and saucer up and made her way back to her desk. She sat there before looking up as the front door opened and Madoka entered with Deshi in his carrier. She smiled at Mai as she closed the door behind her.

"Hey! Deshi was getting fussy because Lin wasn't there. Is Lin in?" Madoka asked hopefully. Mai smiled and shook her head before she went over and pulled Deshi from his carrier which the baby seemed grateful for.

"No, he and Naru went out to look at the house that Martin is considering investigating." Mai said brightly before she bounced the baby and Deshi laughed.

"Ah, well, how come you didn't go with them?" Madoka asked as she set the baby bag down and pulled out Deshi's bear. Mai took it before she put the baby on his back in the floor and she joined him and tickled him and he laughed.

"Naru didn't want me to go. The others went sightseeing but I didn't want to go. John came back yesterday and dropped by to talk to Masako and he went with them. I didn't want to feel like a third wheel." Mai said as she continued to play with Deshi.

"Do you know what John is going to do?" Madoka asked. Mai shook her head with a sad smile on her face.

"No. Masako came from talking to him and she looked depressed but I didn't ask. I didn't think it was any of my business. John stayed for dinner and he didn't look much better than Masako. I don't know what he's chosen." Mai whispered. Madoka sat down on the floor beside her before winking at Mai.

"Watch this." she told Mai and the girl tilted her head in curiosity. "Deshi. Deshi, look over here. Look at Mommy." the baby's attention was immediately on his mother. Mai watched as Madoka blew the baby a kiss and the baby closed his eyes and puckered his lips.

"Oh...that's precious!" Mai said. Madoka laughed.

"I didn't even teach him how to do that. I blew him a kiss the other day when I had to go grocery shipping and Lin was holding him. He puckered his lips and made that face and I didn't know if he'd do it all the time. So I kept doing it and he kept reacting like that." Madoka told her. Mai laughed before reaching over and tickling the baby boy again and he tried to scoot away from her with no luck.

"I knew I heard the squealing of a baby!" Luella said as she walked back into the room form her office. She joined the other women on the floor and Mai moved away from the baby as they all began to talk.

Madoka's attention was caught by movement and she gasped. Mai looked at Deshi and saw that he had turned over onto his stomach. While that was one of the reasons that Madoka gasped the big reason was that Deshi was wiggling, kind of like a snake, towards his baby bag.

"It's kind of like crawling." Mai said with a giggle. "I think he wants his bottle." she told Madoka. She saw the woman shake her head before standing up from the floor and retrieving the bottle. She picked Deshi up and sat down on the couch and let him eat from the bottle.

"I thought babies weren't suppose to crawl until they were six or seven months old." Mai said. Luella smiled at the girl.

"That's true. However, there have been cases of babies attempting to crawl at four months. It's usually more of a wiggling, like what Deshi is doing. Some babies can start walking at nine months, my niece started walking at eight months." Luella explained and Mai's mouth formed an 'O'.

"My little boy." Madoka cooed at the baby as she rocked her body slightly on the couch as he fed. She looked down into eyes that mirrored his father's and she couldn't help the smile that stayed on her face.

"He looks just like his daddy." Luella told Madoka. The younger woman nodded before they all looked up as the front door opened. And in walked all the men that had been missing for nearly three hours from the office.

"So?" Luella asked as she pushed herself up. Martin shook her head.

"It's a creepy looking house but nothing more. We aren't going to investigate. Well, what's this?" he asked as he noticed Madoka and the baby. "Lin, I think you have a small visitor."

"I see. Hello, Deshi." Lin said as he sat down beside Madoka. The baby turned his head away from the bottle and reached out for his father. Lin carefully took him away from his mother.

"He wasn't very happy when he woke up this morning and you weren't anywhere near." Madoka told him. He chuckled as he held the baby in his arms. "And he's learned to turn over...and wiggle from one place to another!"

"Really? You've been busy, haven't you?" Lin asked his son. The baby cooed before he yawned and closed his eyes. Madoka kissed her son on the forehead as he fell asleep.

"Would you like some tea, Naru?" Mai asked brightly as the man shed his coat and hung it up.

"No." he told her as he entered his office and the door slammed shut. Mai frowned before turning to the others.

"Would anyone else like a cup of tea?" she asked. Lin and Madoka shared a look as they saw the tears in Mai's eyes.

"I'll take a cup, Mai." Madoka jumped in and Mai dashed into the kitchen. Martin and Luella had already returned to their offices. The other members of SPR shared a look over their sleeping son's head.

"What is wrong with that boy?"

* * *

Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. The fluff is beginning to build and I think the end is in sight but it should stretch for another two or three chapters! Remember to review! 


	21. Ghost Ship: Chapter 20

Mai lay curled up on the bed in the bedroom that Luella and Martin had given her during the visit. She brought her knees up even tighter against her chest as she tried to suppress her tears. She gave a shuttering sigh. She didn't know why she was so upset, it wasn't like there was anything new about the way Naru was acting. Perhaps it was because of the cold way he had refused her tea.

'He wouldn't even look at me when he came in. He refused all my attempts to give him tea. Does he hate me?' Mai questioned herself as she tried to control her emotions. It didn't work as she felt the moisture trailing down the sides of her face. She turned and buried her face into her pillow as the tears continued to spill and she tried to muffle her sobs. She didn't notice when the door opened but she jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt her eyes widen as she saw that it was Masako sitting beside her on the bed.

"Are you alright?" Masako asked. Mai blinked her wet eyes. Everyone else had been asking her that and she had lied, telling them she was okay. But she found that she was tired of lying. She shook her head and tried to wiped her tears away as Masako moved so that she could sit up.

"He's an idiot." Masako suddenly said. Mai blinked in surprise. "He doesn't see what's right in front of him. I knew he was never interested in me. I knew it was because of you even if _he_ didn't realize. It wasn't hard to see that he was thinking about someone else when we went on dates.

"After his identity was revealed I thought he would go after you and that bothered me. I still cared for him, or at least I thought I did. Until he left and I saw how...un-Mai like you were." she paused and Mai watched her with stunned eyes. "If he can't see what's in front of him he doesn't deserve you, Mai."

"Thanks, Masako. But...my heart can't let him go. I've tried. Believe me, have I tried. But then I look at him and realize I can't live without him." Mai whispered as she wiped her tears away. Masako reached out and touched her shoulder.

"But are you happy, Mai? Are you happy with how he's treating you?" Masako asked softly. Mai wiped her eyes before looking down at her hand that had fallen to her lap.

"No. But...I can't let him go." Mai whispered. Masako hugged her tightly and Mai returned it.

"Then I hope he will see the great person that is waiting for him to open his eyes." Masako told her before she left the room. Mai watched her go with a thankful smile.

'Thank you, Masako.' she thought before she fell back down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling.

* * *

Naru was staring up at his bedroom ceiling. He knew that he had made Mai cry and he knew his mother was beyond angry with him. As was everyone else. He gave a soft sigh before sitting up from where he had been laying on his bed. He closed his eyes as he tried to block the image of a crying Mai from his mind.

He knew that he had hurt her. But he didn't want to let her get any closer than she already was. He didn't want to think about it. He knew if he let her get any closer that one of them could get hurt. He knew what happened when a person let someone to close. If something happened to them, it would hurt the person who's heart they had infested with their bright personality.

'I can't let her get any closer.' he told himself as he climbed off his bed and went to his desk. He began to read one of his many books but didn't really _comprehend_ what he was reading. 'I _won't_ let her get any closer. I've let myself slack on my work and research. It stops now.'

He coolly continued to read his book, trying his hardest to ignore the guilt that was at the back of his mind. He felt Gene trying to contact him and he immediately blocked the connection. The last person that he wanted to talk to was Gene. He didn't need to hear what his brother thought of him.

'It's over.' he thought and for some reason he felt as though something in him had cracked.

* * *

"Is there anything in particular you want for your birthday?" Luella asked Mai the next day at the office. Mai looked away from Naru where he was talking to another researcher at the company. She looked at Luella with a gentle smile.

"Not really. Just celebrating it with my friends is enough." Mai told her. Luella had noticed the look that Mai had been given Naru and she gave a soft sigh. She didn't know what was wrong with her son. Mai was a wonderful girl and obviously cared for him deeply. And he was being a dork.

"That is absolutely no help, you know that, right?" Luella told her. Mai gave a small giggle before disappearing into Madoka's office, where she started taking refuge whenever Naru exited his office. Luella raised an eyebrow at her son as the other researcher disappeared into his own office.

"What is going on between you and Mai?" Luella asked her son. She saw him narrow his eyes before he turned and started back to his office. He wasn't surprised when his mother blocked his path. "Answer. Now." she said in her 'don't-argue-with-me-young-man' voice.

"Mother, it's nothing." he told her before stepping around her. He was once again unsurprised when she followed him into his office and shut the door behind her firmly. He took his seat behind his desk and looked up at his mother as she stood before him with an angry look on her face.

"That didn't sound like a 'nothing' to me, Naru! Mai has been...not herself for the past few days and when you refused tea the other day she looked as though you had ripped her heart out." Luella told him. He looked away and she knew that was a sign of guilt from her son.

"Mother, I have work to do." he told her. She didn't move, instead she slammed her hand down on his desk and he looked at her startled.

"You cannot act like this just because Gene isn't here! Ever since he died you have been unbelievable. You can't treat Mai like that!" Luella told him. Naru sighed heavily before gritting his teeth as he tried to bite back the phlegm that was rising in the back of his throat.

"Once you get close to someone you open yourself to being hurt." he told her. She rolled her eyes before straightening back up and looking down her nose at him. She had tears in her eyes and Naru realized that he may have pushed to far.

"Everyone that has anyone has opened themselves up to a degree. Maybe it _is_ better for her to care for Gene. He isn't afraid of letting her know how he feels. Even though Gene undoubtedly knows how much she means to you." Luella paused before shaking her head at him.

"What would you have done if Mai had died? Do you realize that the doctors were only giving her a fifteen percentage of living after being hit by that car? They may not have told you but your father called. He knew the doctor that performed the surgery and asked him to not tell you the truth. Now I wish he had. Just so you would understand how close you came to truly losing her." Luella told him. She saw his eyes widen and she shook her head.

"You think about that, Oliver Davis. Because you don't realize how close you are to losing her forever without a car hitting her." Luella turned on her heel and left her son's office. She saw that Madoka was in the main room and was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Luella huffed angrily.

"I could hear you in my office." Madoka said as she began to prepare a bottle for Deshi as Mai was currently watching him.

"Well, I hope I got through that thick head of his. But apparently no one else has been able to." Luella said as she sat down on the couch. Madoka disappeared into her office with the bottle before coming back out and making sure to close her door.

"Hopefully so. I don't think Mai comprehended what you were saying, she was preoccupied with Deshi. I think that right now he's the only source of comfort she has. I've tried but it seems the only time she's really happy is when she's with Deshi." Madoka said softly. Luella nodded in agreement.

"I wish there was something else we could do. I mean...her birthday is only a month away and she's depressed. I don't know what to do that I could make this up to her by forcing her to stay here for her birthday." Luella whispered. Madoka blinked before a thought struck her.

"Hey, I've got an idea! Antoinette called me and told me that the boat was getting ready to open and they were having a big party. It's on Mai's birthday! What if I call her and see if she can set it up so that we can celebrate Mai's birthday then as well?" Madoka said bright. Luella thought before nodding in agreement.

"Right!" the woman didn't seem to be as depressed as she had been. Madoka was grateful and she knew Antoinette would do as she asked.

* * *

"Masako, John, we have been waiting for hours! Where have you been?!" Ayako demanded as the two joined them in front of the shopping center where they had agreed to meet. They had agreed that they would buy Mai a big present from the whole group.

"Sorry, I was in confession." John said and Masako gave a gentle smile.

"I stopped by the SPR office and was caught up playing with Deshi and I lost track of time. I met John outside the church so we came together." Masako said and the others rolled their eyes.

"Alright, Yasuhara has once again gotten lost in the SPR library. I'm convinced he has a bed there so he doesn't have to go home. So, it's the four of us. He did give me money to help with the present. So, should we split up into groups of two?" Takigawa asked as they all entered the mall.

"We'll take the bottom floor." John said with a smile as he motioned between him and Masako. The two left the rest of the group and quietly made their way through the mall before they entered a picture frame store. Masako found it odd that there was such a thing actually existed.

"A picture frame doesn't seem like very much." Masako told John as she examined one. John nodded in agreement. Masako looked up at him and bit her lip as she wondered if she should ask him. He wasn't dressed in his cassock and that made her wonder what he was doing in confession if he wasn't guiding others.

"No, not for Mai. She's always so hyper and happy. I think she needs something that reflects her personality." John said. Masako nodded in agreement before she turned to look at him with her dark eyes. He blinked at the gaze wondering what was on the medium's mind.

"John, I'm sorry if this sounds nosey. But...what were you really doing at the church?" she whispered softly. He sighed before steering her out of the store and they sat down on a bench.

"I was leaving the priesthood." he told her. He heard her gasp and he looked at her and saw that her hands were over her mouth. He watched as she blinked back tears.

"John, I told you to not do that. You love your job." she whispered softly. He laughed before gently taking her hand.

"I'm quitting the priesthood, not leaving the church. I spoke to my mentor at the Vatican. I spent three days praying and the Lord spoke to me. He told me to follow my heart. I told Him that my heart lay with Him. He told me that thought my heart lay with Him, that I couldn't serve Him to my fullest unless I did what could make me happy." he whispered and Masako shook her head.

"But serving Him is what makes you happy!" Masako whispered. "I'm not as important as that."

"According to Him you are. I talked to my mentor and I have been moved to Catholic minister." he told her and she blinked in surprise. What did that mean? "A Catholic minister resides over the church that he is assigned. The difference between the minister and the starting point of what we call the Catholic ladder is that a minister cannot be promoted. Nor does he have to take a vow of celibacy."

"So...what? I...I don't understand, John." she whispered softly as she felt the tears starting down her cheeks. She heard what he was saying but she wasn't really comprehending what he was saying.

"It means that I can be with you. It means that...that I care for you, Masako." he whispered. Masako gulped before she threw her arms around his neck and he blinked in surprise as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"That...is...the...sweetest thing...anyone's done...for me." she sobbed into his shoulder and he patted her back gently. He closed his eyes in prayer as the girl sobbed into his shoulder.

'Thank you, Lord, for knowing my heart when even I couldn't understand it. Amen.' he prayed silently before Masako pulled away from him. He smiled at her before helping her up and they continued shopping.

* * *

Mai held Deshi up by his armpits. The way she was holding him made his cheeks bulge as he blinked at her owlishly. Undoubtedly wondering why she was holding him so oddly. She gave a soft laugh at the look on his face before moving him so that he was laying in her arms like a normal baby.

"You're the only one that hasn't asked me if I'm okay. And if you do, I'm enrolling you in school now." Mai told him. The baby blew a spit bubble in response and it popped causing him to laugh in delight. Mai shook her head before wiping the spit off his chin with his bib and he giggled even louder.

"You're a sly one, aren't you? Just like your daddy." Mai told him and he giggled in delight. Mai looked up as the door to Madoka's office opened once more and Lin entered with Deshi's baby carrier in hand.

"Madoka's getting his toys together." Lin told her. She took the baby over to the carrier and handed him over to his father. Lin put him in the carrier and latched him in. The baby began to cry as he realized his bear wasn't with him.

"Oh, where is that bear?" Mai said as he continued to scream bloody murder. She found the bear under Madoka's desk and quickly put it in his carrier and he clutched at the bear's head and closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Sometimes he is the easiest person to put to sleep. Other times he'll fight it tooth and nail." Lin said as he carefully picked the carrier up and Mai followed him out with a smile.

"If he had a tooth, that is." Mai said brightly. Lin chuckled before nodding in agreement. After Madoka had everything packed they made their way out of the office, everyone else was already gone. Mai had refused to go with Naru, saying that she needed to stay and watch Deshi. Almost everyone knew that it was because she was tired of his cold attitude towards her, he hadn't really asked if she was coming. He had walked out of his office, pulled his coat on, and looked at her to see if she was coming or not. No words were spoke.

"Since Deshi is asleep, can we stop at the apartment first? Do you mind, Mai?" Madoka asked. Mai shook her head with a smile. As they got to the vehicle she climbed into the passenger's seat as Madoka wanted to sit in the back with the sleeping Deshi. They rode in the quiet and stopped at the apartment where they dropped Madoka and Deshi off before Lin took off for the Davis residence.

"Mai, if Noll becomes unbearable, you are more than welcome to stay with Madoka and myself. She enjoys that you're so good with Deshi." he told her and she nodded as she looked out the window.

"I couldn't invade your home again. Besides, you have a family that you have to think of." Mai told him as he turned outside of London and began down the long road that would take them to the turn off for the Davis house.

"You are part of our family, Mai. Like I said before, you are more than welcome to stay with us. I lived with Noll for seven years before moving out and even then I spent most of my time around him." he told her. She gave a small giggle before turning to look at him with a smile.

"Thank you, Lin-san." she told him and he nodded while keeping his eyes on the road. She turned her attention back to the scenery passing them by. She watched as he pulled up to the house and when she was about to get out she felt Lin press something into her hand and she looked at him. He smiled at her.

"That's our new phone number. Call us if you need anything." he told her. She smiled and nodded before she made her way into the house. She saw that everyone else was in the living room and she joined them, taking a seat beside Takigawa.

"Did you ever get Deshi down for a nap?" Masako asked and Mai shook her head with a laugh.

"No, but he went out like a light bulb before we left the office. I think the office is still so new to him that he doesn't want to miss anything." Mai said with a smile.

"He's such a cute baby." Ayako said.

"Lin-san and Madoka-san make very good parents." John said with his trademark smile in place. Mai noticed that he had an arm casually draped around Masako's shoulder and the girl wasn't trying to protest. Mai frowned in confusion. What was going on?

"And they will continue to grow as parents as Deshi grows." Takigawa agreed and Mai nodded. He was right. She knew that because of Lin and Madoka that Deshi would grow up to be a strong man.

"I'm tired. I'm going to go on to bed." Masako said as she stood up. Mai watched as everyone else left except for John. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's going on?" she asked and John gave her a smile as he stood up, ready to retire himself.

"The Lord and I talked things out. Your support was a big help." he told her before leaving the room. Mai managed to give a soft smile before it turned into a sad look.

'At least someone appreciates me.' she couldn't help but think.

* * *

I did some research on what John did. It is possible for an exorcist or priest to change their way of serving Him. Some will change because of marriage, although it is rarely allowed. John is ranked high enough that he is able to make the decision by himself whether or not he want to be a Catholic minister, a person who takes care of a Catholic church. I was curious and did the research and when I saw that was possible, John popped into my head as did Masako. 


	22. Ghost Ship: Chapter 21

The rest of May and most of June passed by and the silent distance between Mai and Naru continued to grow. Mai had learned to hid the pain well when Naru would make his own tea. Naru had learned to suppress the guilt he felt by pouring himself into his work. Everyone else saw the slow descent into madness.

"I'm worried about her." Masako said one day as she and the other Japanese SPR Irregulars sat in the Davis residence. Madoka and Mai had taken Deshi to a doctor's appointment and were then taking him to see Lin's mother who had flown in for Mai's birthday, apparently the woman wanted to meet the girl that her grandson seemed to love to spend time with.

"You aren't the only one. I wish there was something we could do." Ayako sighed softly. She had never seen Mai give up on anything before. But it seemed that Naru's stubbornness had finally stonewalled the young girl. And because she had given up, she was falling into a depression. An emotion that none of them thought suited Mai.

"Maybe we should lock them in a room together?" John suggested. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"John, I know what you have against Naru, everyone has something against him right now. But why would you want to torture Mai?" Takigawa asked. John blinked before nodding in agreement.

"You'd think Naru, for being a genius, would get a clue! I mean, can't he see how badly he's hurting Mai?! Does he just not get it?!" Ayako snarled angrily as she jumped up in her rage. Masako nodded in agreement serenely with her eyes closed.

"Calm down, Ayako." Takigawa told her as he gently took her hand and pulled her back down to the couch. "I think I have an idea on how to make him wake-up."

"What?" Masako asked. She wondered what the monk could have to make the headstrong young man wake-up. They had all tried something to make him see what was in front of him. Except for the monk and John, Masako realized with a blink.

"Mai's school starts two weeks after her birthday so we need to return to Japan as soon as possible after her birthday, right?" he started. They all shared looks before nodding and waiting for him to continue. "Well, we could tell Luella and Martin that they need to find a way to make Naru think that he can't return to Japan for a good long while. That way if he knows Mai is going home and he can't go with her. He won't be around her and she won't be there anymore."

"Monk-san, from how Davis-san has been acting around Mai, how can we be sure it would affect him?" John spoke up. Takigawa looked at him and sighed.

"Because he's trying to push her away. I think he would react differently if he knew that she was leaving and not coming back. He wants to push her away...let's help him." Takigawa said and the others looked at each other.

"Isn't that...rather mean?" Masako asked. She wanted Naru to get a clue but she didn't want to hurt him. She frowned, no that wasn't right. He deserved this! He wasn't the one with a room beside Mai's and had to listen to the girl's soft sobs every night.

"Do you really believe that, Masako?" Ayako asked. Masako shook her head before looking at John. He nodded.

"It isn't really something I would normally agree to. However, anyone looking at Mai can see that this has destroyed her." John said softly. The SPR members fell silent before Takigawa stood up and went to the phone.

"I'll call Luella and see what she can come up with." he told them.

* * *

"Are you excited about turning eighteen?" Masako asked Mai as they sat in the living room of the Davis residence playing with Deshi. He had pretty much gotten the hang of moving on the floor. He wasn't able to crawl yet but he could pull himself forward with his hands and turn. And because he was mobile he was trying to get into everything.

"I suppose. I don't think it was be any different than now. Oh, Deshi, stop that!" Mai crawled over the baby where he was tugging on the drapes. She grabbed him and turned onto her back and held him up into the air and shaking him slightly. He squealed and laughed before screeching even louder as Masako took him away and he tried to wiggle away before realizing who held him and he laughed again.

"He's always laughing." Mai said as she pushed herself up from the floor and making a face at Deshi. Deshi only laughed again before they heard the door open. Masako handed Deshi to Mai and then looked over her shoulder to see Naru standing there. She looked at Mai and saw the girl was white.

"Gah! Gah!!" the baby held his arms out to Naru. Mai forced her legs to move to Naru. She forced herself to not flinch as she brushed against Naru as she handed Deshi over. She saw Masako slip out of the room and she was about to do the same before Naru spoke.

"Wait. I need to speak with you." Mai clenched her fists. She had been so close to getting out of the room! She turned to look at Naru to see that was leaning against the desk with Deshi resting comfortable in his arms.

"Okay." she said. She waited for him to speak, wondering what he was going to tell her. She doubted that it would be anything that she wanted to hear with how he had been acting around her recently.

"My father has made me Vice-President of the British SPR offices. He's requested that I stay here for a few months. I'm closing the Japanese SPR offices for those same months." he told her. She closed her eyes before sighing. She wasn't surprised.

"Alright. It doesn't make much difference. I was going to resign when we got back anyway. Fourth Years aren't allowed to have a job." that was a lie and she knew that he knew it. But she wanted to hurt him as much as he hurt her. But with how he had been treating her recently she had a feeling her leaving wouldn't have hurt him.

"Very well. That's all." he dismissed her and Mai bit her lip before she turned and left the room, but not before stalking over and taking the sleeping Deshi away and up to her room where they had set up the baby's crib so that he could stay the night with everyone. It had taken a lot of convincing on the parents' parts to let them watch the baby but Mai had promised to take care of Deshi and they had finally agreed.

'Stupid Naru!! Stupid...stupid...why?' she thought as she put Deshi in his crib. 'Why? Why did this happen?' she fell to the floor beside Deshi's crib and rested her head against the side of the crib as tears began to spill. 'I...just want to know why.'

* * *

Naru stared at the door that Mai had just exited through. He turned away from the door and slumped down into one of the chairs. He had been unpleasantly surprised when Mai had told him she was going to quit even if he did return to Japan. He shook his head, it just enforced his theory. Mai wouldn't stay with him even if he asked.

'It's a good thing I accepted the position that father offered me.' he thought to himself before he stood up. He made his way to the floor length mirror and wondered what Gene would think of him. He had been blocking his brother for nearly a month as the boy tried to contact him. Gene hadn't given up yet but Naru was just as stubborn, he didn't want to hear what Gene thought of him for his treatment of Mai.

"YOU ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO ME LIKE IT OR NOT!!!" Naru jerked back as his reflection glared at him. He suddenly realized that he wasn't looking at his reflection but his brother instead. And his brother's eyes were on fire as he looked into them.

"Go away, Gene." he told the older boy. He turned away from the mirror before turning around as he felt something hit him in the back of the head. He narrowed his eyes at Gene as the older boy had his arms crossed and he looked pissed. He looked beyond pissed.

"I am _not_ going away. And until we talk, _neither are you!_" he hissed. Naru felt something cold pass through. His eyes widened when he realized he was incapable of movement. He glared at Gene and the older boy just shook his head at him

"Let me go." Naru hissed. Gene narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"No. I've been dead for a year, Noll. And I have never used the paranormal powers that I gained with dying. Not once. I never had the desire to do so. But if this is the only way that I can talk to you without you running away from the problem, _then so be it_!" Gene snarled. Naru felt his face go slack, Gene _never_ snarled at anyone.

"Then move on!" Naru snapped back. He saw Gene jerk back slightly before the older boy recovered.

"Watch that tongue of yours, Noll. If I was alive I would take Mai away in an instance." Gene told him. Naru cracked the mirror with his power causing Gene to flinch and lose his concentration on holding his brother in place.

"Then go ahead!" Naru hissed before turning away and leaving the room and slamming the door behind him. Gene watched him go before fading away.

* * *

Mai opened her eyes a little before they opened all the way and she found herself looking up into kind blue eyes. Kind eyes that belonged to only one person. That belonged to Gene. Their eyes stayed locked before she sat up and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He returned the hug as she sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay." he whispered as he patted her head as he ran his hand up and down her back. He didn't know what else to say to her. He had tried to talk to his brother but he had been so angry at Naru that he hadn't been able to control his anger. 'And look at how well that went.' he thought.

"Why? Why does he do that?!" she sobbed as her shoulders shook. She couldn't control her sobs and she couldn't control the way her body seemed to convulse. She didn't feel as though she were getting enough air in her lungs. She looked up at Gene as he pulled away. He looked down at her sadly before bending down and pressing his lips against hers.

Her eyes went wide. Her eyes slipped closed before returning the pressure of the kiss. She reached out and clutched his shirt. For a moment she could tell herself that it was Naru, not Gene, that was kissing her. She could fool herself until she remembered everything. She pushed him away and looked up at him with teary eyes, not understanding.

"I love you, Mai. There's no doubt in my mind about that. But I'm dead." he told her. Mai felt her face tint before she dropped her eyes. She shook her head.

"I wish that it _was_ you that I fell in love with. But it isn't. I...fell...in love with a jerk." she whispered softly. She felt Gene's hand on top of her head and she glanced up at him with teary eyes. He gave her that special smile that he seemed to reserve only for her.

"I had to tell you how I felt. I know you're confused and hurt. I wish I could say something that would make you feel better but I can't. I don't know what has gotten into my brother. I wish I did. I wish I could understand what Noll is thinking but I can't." he told her and she felt the tears once again slowly trailing down her face.

"It doesn't matter, does it? He's leaving my life forever and he doesn't care." she whispered. Gene wished that he could hold her again and protect her from everything, including Naru. But he knew the consequences those actions could cause.

"Mai..." his attention was suddenly caught by something in the real world and he gave a soft sigh. "Deshi needs you."

Mai's eyes snapped open and she heard Deshi whining. She clamored out of her bed and went to his crib. She gasped as she saw that he had his blanket wrapped around his neck.

"Oh, be still, Deshi!" she cried. She reached down and untangled the blanket before picking the wailing baby up. She sat down on her bed and rocked back and forth as she held him closely to her chest. She smiled as he began to settle down and she looked down at him and he looked up at her with those big grey eyes.

"Oh, Deshi. What am I going to do?" she asked the baby. The boy tilted his head before reaching his arms up. Mai brought him so that his face was against her neck and she continued to rock back and forth.

'What am I going to do? What can I do?' she thought as she bit back tears. 'Is there anything that I can do?' her thoughts paused before the most terrifying of thoughts passed through her mind. 'It's over.'

* * *

Mai stood out on the deck of the boat as the sea wind blew her bangs back. She looked into the water and watched as the stars reflected in the water. She had been thankful for the party that her friends had thrown her. Masako had even given her a kimono to wear and for that she had been ever grateful as the kimono was intricate and the silk felt nice against her skin. Yet it did very little to ease the pain in her heart.

Naru was there and though he had gone through the traditional greetings and wishes for a birthday...Mai knew that he didn't mean it. He wouldn't look at her. Ignoring her so completely that Mai wondered if he even remembered that he knew her.

"Mai?" the girl turned around at the sound of her name and smiled at Catherine. The older girl smiled at her before joining her at the railing. Mai turned her attention back to the water beneath them.

"You and Dr. Davis seem rather distant." the girl commented. Mai closed her eyes at the words. She had hoped that no one else would notice but she had a feeling that no matter how much she wished it, that it was extremely obvious.

"Yeah." Mai whispered. She didn't know what her voice gave away but Catherine had her hand on her shoulder. Mai looked at the brown eyed woman and felt her eyes widen at the gentle smile.

"When it comes to love things can get very complicated. I know that." Catherine told her and Mai felt her eyes widen.

"That's right..." she whispered out loud. She gasped and put her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry! I know that you love Lin-san!"

"_Loved_. There's a difference. I always knew when we dated in high school that he cared for Madoka. I built myself a little fairytale even though I knew it would crumble around my feet at one point." Catherine told her and Mai looked back at the water before Catherine touched her shoulder to get her attention back. "_You_ aren't living a fairytale. It's real and because of that you can't give up."

"I don't think there's much more I can do. I've waited for so long that I don't think I can wait any longer and be anything other than a person that just waits around. Which I'm not. I have a life." Mai said angrily as she looked at the water. Catherine gave a soft laugh and Mai looked at her.

"No, I can't imagine that you are. But if he does come after you...don't push him away. Don't push him away when he needs you the most. It has to be hard for him to open up." Catherine told her and she blinked as Catherine began to walk away.

"What are you saying?!" Mai called over her. Catherine looked over shoulder and winked before she walked back into the room that had been the base. Mai put her hand over her heart as it was beating like crazy. 'What did she mean?'

* * *

Mai stood in the airport once again. She glanced at Masako and John where they were saying their good-byes to each other. She smiled. John had to go through several inquisitions at the Vatican before he would be assigned a church. Although from how he spoke, his mentor had already spoke to the Bishops and told them what the Lord had told John. Mai didn't think there would be any problems, the process was lengthy though. But she knew Masako would wait. After all, the girl had been prepared to love him from afar knowing that he could never return the feelings.

'I'm glad she found someone who will do anything for her.' Mai thought before she looked up as they called their flight number. She gave a soft sigh before she picked her bag up and followed Ayako and Takigawa towards the gate. She looked over her shoulder and blinked back her tears. She knew that she would never return to England. She gave a soft sigh.

'I hope Lin-san and Madoka keep their promise to visit.' she thought as she continued to wait. For what she didn't know. She could feel the others' eyes on her. She looked up as John placed his hand on her shoulder. He gave her a sad smile.

"Good-bye, Mai-san. I hope I'll see you in Japan once I'm assigned a church." he said. She smiled and hugged him tightly before pulling away.

"Of course. You have my number. I don't plan on moving." she whispered before

they called her plane for the second time. She turned towards the gate once more and gave a soft sigh. 'This is it. Once I get on that plane...it really means that I have given up on him. It means...I'm free.'

"Mai?" Ayako asked. Mai looked at the priestess and began to walk towards the gate before she turned as she heard something. She looked in the crowd. She could have sworn she heard someone calling her name. She shook her head.

'Get a grip, Mai. He isn't coming.' she told herself firmly. 'It isn't going to happen, no matter how much you wish it!'

"MAI!" she felt her eyes widen and she whirled around. There he was. Standing behind John panting. His hair was disheveled as were his clothes. His eyes were wild as he looked at her and she blinked in surprise. She saw Takigawa out of the corner of her eye punch his fist up in the air. She turned her attention back to Naru.

"Don't...go..." he breathed. Her eyes went completely wide. She felt tears in her eyes. What was she supposed to do?

'_Don't push him away when he needs you the most._'

* * *

And there's the next chapter. Just remember that when you review I tend to update faster than I am. So review and tell me why you think Naru went after. It's fun to see what the readers think. So tell me, what do you think made Naru see the light, so to speak? Kieno0324.


	23. Ghost Ship: Chapter 22

Naru was locked up in his office and kept glancing at the clock. He knew when Mai's plane left and he wished that he didn't. He ran a hand through his hair. He knew that he would never admit it out loud but he didn't want her to leave. He didn't want her to go back to Japan without him. He reminded himself viciously that even if he was on the plane that she had been planning on quitting anyway.

'I'm lucky. She was going to leave anyway.' he told himself. It didn't help how he felt. It didn't help the crack that was slowly deepening with each tick of the minute hand on the clock. She was getting farther from his grasp with each mili-second, second, and minute that passed.

'_Go after her!_' Gene snapped. Naru ignored him and turned back to his work. It did no good. Gene had broken through his barrier and was inside his head. That didn't mean he had to listen to her.

'Go away, Gene. I don't want to listen to you. You want Mai so much? You're smart, figure something out.' he thought angrily. He felt Gene jerk back as though he had been slapped. That was thing about their connection, he could sense the affect his words had on his brother.

'_She doesn't love me. Though believe me, I tried. I tried to take her away from you. She's loyal to you._' Naru felt his eyes widen at the tone. It was pained but to the point. Naru knew his brother wasn't lying. He closed his eyes and refused to reply to his Gene.

'_Noll, why won't you just admit you care for her?_' Gene asked, tired of the whole situation. He had tried to do everything for the couple. He had even admitted _his_ feelings in hopes of making his brother jealous. It didn't seem to work.

'Caring for someone opens yourself up to being hurt.' Naru told Gene stubbornly. He couldn't just admit that he cared for the ginger haired girl. It went against all his rules and codes. It wasn't part of who he was.

'_That's what love is, Noll. You open yourself up to that one person and let them in and let them help you with things that you may struggle with. Mai has the biggest heart of anyone that I have ever met. And she wants you to take care of it. Don't tell me that you don't feel the same way about her._' Gene said. Naru didn't reply and Gene sighed. He had one card to play and he hated using it. He knew it would hurt his brother but he also knew if he didn't act quickly that Mai would be gone from their lives forever.

'_What would you do if you touched something of hers that she has left behind? What if you saw her with someone else? Saw her with someone that she was happy with? Someone that she married? Someone that she shared everything with?_' Gene asked. He felt Naru's mood began to drop rapidly and knew that he had planted the seed in his brother's head. Now he just had to make it grow.

'_You've pushed her far enough to make that happen. If you don't go after her, it's truly over. There's no going back. There's no apologizing this time and there's no going after her. Once she boards that plane, she's gone for good._' Gene snapped. He felt Naru freeze before suddenly the boy leapt from his seat and was dashing out of his office and Gene found himself being dragged along.

'_Noll?_' he asked worried that maybe had pushed his brother to hard.

'I screwed up.' was all Naru sent him before cutting the connection off. Gene found himself back in the darkness that he was used.

'At least he finally got it through that thick skull of his. Took him long enough. Now if he can just open up to her when he finally stops her...he'll be flying high.' Gene thought in amusement.

* * *

He wasn't sure how he managed to run all the way from the SPR office to the airport as there was nearly five miles between the two. But he knew he didn't have any time. He had to get to Mai before she boarded the plane. He had felt such a severe rage when Gene had told him to imagine Mai with someone else. He had been able to do it. And while he had been able to do it, he never wanted it to happen. In that moment he had realized that he couldn't deny it anymore. He wanted Mai with him.

He dashed in the airport and looked for the number of the gate of the plane. He found it with relative ease but everyone seemed to want to be in his way. He fought his way through the crowd and he saw her turning towards the gate.

"Mai!" he called. She stopped and turned in confusion. He watched as Ayako said something. Mai's head dropped and she began to walk towards the gate. He broke through the crowd and watched as she continued towards the gate.

"MAI!" he called one last time. He watched as she turned around and their eyes locked. He suddenly felt the consequences of his run. His lungs were constricting but he didn't care. She was there. He could stop her. He could see the plea in her eyes and maybe that was what broke him. Or maybe the fact that he couldn't seem to breath helped.

"Don't...go..." he managed to get out before he focused on breathing. He looked at her once more as they called for the plane. She looked over her shoulder at the gate and he realized that she was thinking about going back. He'd be damned if he let _that_ happen. He walked over to her swiftly and grabbed her wrist causing her to look up at him in surprise.

"Naru?" she asked. He looked down at her wide eyes. He continued to stare at her before he spoke.

"Don't go. Stay here..." he closed his eyes as he forced the words out. He wasn't use to sentimental things. Having never been forced to use them. But this was his last chance at keeping her. "Stay here with me."

* * *

"_Stay here with me._" Mai stared up at Naru in surprise. She blinked to make sure that she had heard correctly. He was still there. He was still holding her wrist. And he was still looking at her with those blue eyes that didn't seem to belong to him. They were vulnerable and open to her. He was opening up to her.

"I...Naru..." she stuttered as there was another call for her plane. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to stay with the man that had broken her heart countless times? She closed her eyes as tears began to fall. She was so confused. She didn't know what she was supposed to do!

'_If he does come after you...don't push him away. Don't push him away when he needs you the most. It has to be hard for him to open up._' Catherine's words echoed in here head. She looked up at Naru and realized that he was still open, waiting for her to say something. To reject him or accept him.

'He came after me. He...came after me. That's enough...isn't it?' she asked herself as they made a third call for her plane. She could feel his hand around her wrist and it felt so warm.

"Mai?" she looked over her shoulder at the sound of her name. Masako was the one that had called her name and they were all waiting for her decision, having heard Naru's plea.

"I...I can't. I have to go back to school, Naru. You're the one that's always telling me how stupid I am." she told him. She felt him tighten his grip on her wrist and she looked up surprised. She was even more surprised when he let go of her wrist. "Naru?"

"Fine. Go." he told her. She saw the mask slip back on place before he turned and started to walk away. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at the person in surprise.

"Go after him." Masako told her. Mai shook her head.

"I have school!" she protested weakly and Masako raised a delicate eyebrow.

"My school doesn't start until the end of August and I believe you told me yours doesn't start until then either. Now go! You can get another plane ticket!" Masako gave her a gentle shove. That was all Mai needed. The girl ran through the crowd and spotted the black coat.

"NARU!!" Mai screamed. She saw him turn towards her. She froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. Then she started towards him again. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to her face. "You are an idiot."

With those words she kissed him. _She_ kissed _him_. She felt his arms slowly wrap around her waist before he straightened up and she was standing on her tiptoes. She let him take control of the kiss and willingly parted her lips when his tongue brushed against them.

She tangled her hands in his hair and wondered briefly how he managed to get it so silky. She gave a small groan as his hand reached up and massaged the base of her skull. Soon the need to breath became to strong and they pulled back looking at each other before Naru stepped back.

"We need to talk." he told her. She nodded before hitting her forehead and he raised an eyebrow.

"I need to go back and get my suitcase!" she said before turning. Before she could run off she felt a hand on the small of her back and he started to push her forward, his hand still possessively in place. She felt a smile on her face, maybe they would be able to work things out after all.

* * *

They were sitting in a coffee shop not far from the airport and so far they hadn't said anything. They had ordered their drinks but the silence continued on. Mai knew that Naru had no experience in the field and neither did she to be completely honest. But she supposed her personality made it a little easier to deal with. She made the first move.

"Why did you come after me?" she asked. That caught his attention. He looked at her for a moment before he finally answered.

"I've already lost one person. I can't lose another." he told her. She blinked in surprise. She would have suspected the words to come from Gene. But from Naru? No. It had caught her off guard at the way he was opening up to her. She hadn't expected it so quickly but she saw from the look in his eyes that he hadn't meant to tell her that.

"Naru...losing people is something that happens everyday. It's a part of life. It really sucks that you had to go through that when you were only fifteen." she paused as she thought for a moment before reaching across the table and slapping him gently on the side of the head. "If you had just told me this from the beginning none of this would have happened!"

"I know that." he scowled as he rubbed his head where she had smacked him. He sighed. "Gene will be thrilled to hear me admit this. I've been an idiot, Mai. An utter idiot.

"Everyone has been trying to tell me that for months. Even my mother and I didn't listen to her. I guess I didn't want to hear. I thought I was doing the right thing. Until Gene jumped into the fray. He said several things that...angered me. I tried to ignore him but I _couldn't_." he told her. She felt her eyes widen in surprise. She was sure that she had never heard him talk so much in her time of knowing him.

"Naru..." she smiled at him with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Naru..." the tears spilled as she stood up and moved closer to him. He looked up surprised and blinked as she leant down and hugged him tightly. The position was odd and he moved so that he was cradling her in his lap as she held onto him tightly.

'_You finally get it, don't you? You finally get it_.' Gene whispered. Naru closed his eyes at the sound of his brother's voice.

'Yes.' he replied. His eyes opened as he felt the connection with Gene fading away and he felt his heart speed up. 'Gene?'

'_I know why I couldn't move on...you weren't happy. You are now._' Gene said and Naru felt his heart stop. He had always told him to move on but he never thought that he would actually do it. He had hoped that it would never happen. '_Good-bye, Noll._'

'_Mai..._' Gene whispered in her mind. Mai felt her eyes widen as realized how weak the connection was between her and the older boy now.

'Gene? Why...why do you sound so far off?' she asked as panic began to set in. It couldn't be! She prayed silently that it wasn't true but she knew what was happening. She knew and she hated it. Gene had always been there, it wasn't right that he was leaving!

'_I wasn't lying when I said I love you. I only wish that I was alive when we met but somehow I don't think that would have changed anything. Take care, Mai. And try to take care of that idiot_.' his voice and presence faded away. Mai felt the tears fall even faster down her cheeks. She felt Naru bury his head against her shoulder and instantly knew that Gene had spoke to him.

'Good-bye, Gene.' she thought as she turned her attention to the other twin. The one that she loved. The one that she had to heal. She pulled back and saw that his eyes were closed and he was suppressing his own tears. She felt her eyes widen, she had never seen him cry and she realized that he was a human. A human being with feelings, he just had so much more control over them.

"Noll..." she whispered. His eyes snapped open at the name she called him. She gave him a wet, sad smile. She put her hands on either side of his face as their eyes remained locked. She leaned down and gently pressed her lips against his. She felt his arms tighten around her as he pressed her as close as he could. They pulled apart and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Don't leave me." he whispered and she closed her eyes at the lost tone in his voice. This was Naru without his mask. This was the man that had been suppressing his grief for his brother for so long. This was the man that she had learned existed and fallen even harder for. This was the man that was controlled and narcissistic at the same time. This was the man that she had to teach how to love again.

* * *

Madoka was surprised to see Mai walk into the office with Naru after his mad dash out. She felt a smile spread across her face as she saw the hand that Naru had placed in the small of Mai's back. Mai smiled at Madoka and the woman returned it before turning her attention back to the bottle she was making.

"Is father in, Madoka?" Naru asked. The woman turned around with the bottle in her hand and tilted her head.

"Well, he hasn't gone running out of the office as though hell hounds were on his heels, _no_. So I suppose he's still here." she said brightly. She smirked inwardly at the light blush on Naru's cheeks as Mai look up at him in surprise. She squeaked as he began to move her towards his father's office.

He entered the room and closed the door behind him and Mai. His father looked up from his desk and his eyebrow rose as he saw Mai standing beside his son. He felt a smile quirk his lips. So Takigawa's plan _had_ worked to an extent.

"Father, I'm turning down the Vice-President position. I'm not going to leave the office in Japan for that extended period of time." Naru told his father. Martin tilted his head before his eyes trailed to a blushing Mai as she realized what Naru was saying. He looked back at his son and saw the challenge in his eyes.

"Ah. Very well then. You can keep the Vice-President position and return to Japan when you see fit. The position you hold here will call you back to England on occasion and I expect you to come without a fight. It will also help with funding for the Japanese Branch so that it may spread out." Martin told him.

"And Mai, if you wish, I would like to offer you a job as a senior investigator once you graduate. At the Japanese office, of course. If that is alright with Noll." Martin looked at his son and Naru nodded. He knew Mai was capable enough to handle a case on her own. Not that it would stop him from going as well. She may be capable of handing the technicalities of a case but ghosts liked her to much for his comfort.

"I won't mind taking the job but I think it might interfere with my college plans. There's a community college not far from the office and that's where I'll be attending but I'd like to focus my attention on that." Mai told the man. Martin nodded with a smile on his face.

"Very well, the option remains open for you. Noll, may I speak to you in private?" Martin asked. Naru nodded and Mai slipped out of the room with the door clicking softly behind her. Naru stood before his father waiting for the man to say something.

"I remember when I first met you. You were nine years old and so critical of everything around you." Martin began. Naru blinked in surprise wondering where this was going. "Your brother was the exact opposite of you. However I watched you both grow. It is hard to let you go because you are my son.

"Though I know this is important to you and I want you to know that I don't think I've ever been more proud of you than I am right now." Martin told him. Naru blinked again. This was so unlike his father. "Good luck, Oliver." the man stood up and hugged his son.

"Thank you, father." Naru whispered and Martin patted him on the head like he had when the boys were still young.

"No grandchildren for at least four years." Martin told him. He watched amused as Naru blushed. He knew that his son rarely blushed, if at all. He gave his son a gentle push towards the door. "Take good care of her, Noll. She deserves it."

"I know." Naru whispered before exiting the man's office. He saw Mai was on the floor playing with Deshi again and the parents were nowhere to be seen. He sat down on the couch and she looked up at him.

"Your mother was just here." she told him. He blinked in surprise. He frowned, he seemed to be doing that a lot. "She told me the reason why you were pushing me away." her voice had grown soft and he felt his eyes widen. She continued to play with Deshi, tickling him and letting him get away from her before he returned for more.

"Opening up to someone is part of living and I wouldn't hurt you. I wouldn't hurt you, you have to know that." Mai whispered. Naru got down on his knees so that he was kneeling down beside her.

"I'm not an open person. You know that. I just don't want...this sounds stupid." he paused and she waited for him to go on. "I don't want to lose you."

"And pushing me away was supposed to help?" Mai asked as she took Deshi into her lap. Naru closed his eyes before sighing.

"I thought that if I pushed you away...that I couldn't get hurt by losing you." he told her and Mai rolled her eyes before reaching out and slapping him on the side of the head once again.

"Idiotic, moronic, foolish scientist!" she told him. He frowned at her and she laughed at the look on his face. He was pouting!

'We can make it.'

* * *

There's that chapter. The epoilogue is the only thing left, but it will be long. If I can get my muse to come out and play that is. Anyway, for all the writers out there I have a BIG request to make. A Madoka/Lin lemon. There are NaruMai and LinMai but no MadokaLin lemons. And if I wasn't so horrible at writing lemons, I would write it myself. But I am horrible at it. Would someone pelase write me one? It would make me very giddy and happy! Thank you! Oh, and remember to review! Bye! Kieno0324 


	24. Ghost Ship: Epilogue

"Oh, good grief, Deshi!!" Madoka cried as Naru raised a fist to knock on the hotel room door. He shared a look with Mai and she gave a soft giggle. Madoka and Lin had come to visit them for Deshi's first birthday. And it sounded as though Deshi was driving his mother crazy.

Naru knocked on the door and for a moment Mai wondered if Madoka was even going to answer. She smiled as the door opened and Lin was standing there shaking his head. He let them in before closing the door once more.

"She's been trying to get him dressed for the past hour and he's not having it." Lin told them. Mai giggled before she hugged the Chinese man in greeting.

"Happy Belated Birthday. I'm sorry I didn't call, we were on a case and the clients didn't have a phone." she told him with a bright smile. He returned it with a small one of his own before he shook hands with Naru before they all looked up as Deshi came running into the room with blue overalls on and a white undershirt.

"Papa! Papa!!" the boy was laughing as he latched on his father's leg. Lin bent down on his knees and kissed his son on the head. "Papa!!"

"Oh, he's so cute!" Mai squealed. The boy looked at her curiously before leaving his father and holding his arms up. Mai smiled before she bent down and picked him up and the boy wiggled and giggled as she put him on her hip.

"He must remember you." Lin said as he straightened up. Madoka entered the living room from the bedroom part of the suite that they were in. She smiled at Mai and Noll before she hugged them both, ignoring Noll's slight protest before she kissed Deshi on the cheek.

"Can you say Mai's name?" Madoka asked Deshi. The boy blinked at her before moving his mouth but no sound coming out. "Can you say Mai? M-ai." Madoka said with a gentle smile. Deshi looked at Mai and grinned as big as he could.

"M-Mai!" he said and Mai gave a small gasp before hugging him tightly. He looked at Naru for a moment with a tilt to his head. Naru blinked before suddenly the baby smiled as big as he could once again.

"Nolly!" he cried and Naru frowned. Mai bit her lip at the look that Naru was sending her. This couldn't be good. She handed the toddler to his father as Naru began to walk towards her.

"Naru...now look, he hasn't heard that name in months!" Mai said before she dashed out of the room with him following her. She realized that the elevator wasn't going fast enough. She quickly made her way towards the steps before screaming as he whirled her around and she looked up at him with a pleading look.

"Naru, I promise that I only taught him that name when he was four months old!" she pleaded before she gasped as his mouth descended on hers to muffle her pleas. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his mouth continued to caress hers. She gave a soft moan as his tongue entered her mouth and he pulled her even closer to his body before they pulled apart, both breathing hard.

"We...we should go back. Before they think you've killed me." she told him with a smile. He chuckled before his mask slipped back into place and she shook her head. His personality was so odd, sometimes he was very kind and other times it would be Naru worthy. And it changed quickly and Mai found it hard to read when it would change.

"Hn. I like this task better." he told her as he leaned down to kiss her again. She quickly lost focus of what she was trying to convince him to do. Until he pulled away again and she pushed him away before heading back to the hotel room.

"They came all the way from England so that we could celebrate Deshi's birthday with them. Now come on." she told him before squeaking as he placed his hand lower than the lower part of her back. She reached back and pulled his hand up so that it was resting on her back and not her rear.

"Pervert." she hissed at him and he chuckled. He bent down and nipped her ear and she gave a small gasp before pushing him away with a raised eyebrow. "What has gotten into you, Oliver?" she asked, hoping his given name would give him a hint. He smirked at her before replying.

"You." she squeaked before dashing back into Lin and Madoka's hotel room. She sat down on the couch as Naru followed her and closed the door. She looked anywhere but at him as he sat down beside her.

"So, how has Japan been since you returned?" Madoka asked as Deshi lay on the couch drinking his bottle. Mai could see that he was struggling with sleep but failing miserably. Lin was sitting beside Madoka and his arm was rapped around her shoulders as Madoka rested her hand on Deshi's stomach.

"Alright. School is school. How has parent life been treating you?" Mai asked brightly. Madoka glanced down at the now sleeping Deshi before gently extracting his bottle from his hands and setting it on the table.

"Good. Deshi is a very good baby." Madoka said as she rested her head against Lin's shoulder. "He's very quiet, like his daddy."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Naru spoke up and Lin glared at him. Mai giggled as Madoka leaned up and kissed Lin on the cheek causing his scowl to fade away. He turned his attention to her and she gave a gentle smile before turning her attention back to the other couple sitting across from them.

"That's a very good thing. At least he won't cry all night." Mai pointed out. Madoka nodded with a smile before her attention was caught as Deshi coughed. She gently rubbed his stomach until his coughing died down.

"I'm going to put him in his crib." Madoka said as she stood up. Mai also stood to follow her. The woman looked at her curiously as she lay the baby in his crib. Mai was looking slightly worried as she sat down on the bed.

"Mai, is everything okay?" Madoka asked. Mai nodded as she gave a gentle smile before she stood up and walked to the window. She looked out on the street as people walked on the streets below.

"Does it...hurt?" Mai asked unsurely. She looked at Madoka and the woman blinked curiously. Mai realized that the woman didn't understand the question. "Having a baby, I mean. Does it hurt?"

"I had an epidural." Madoka said with a smile before frowning. "How come you're asking? Are you pregnant?!"

"No. It's just, well. Naru has been walking me home ever since I moved to Shibuya so I'd be closer to work and I'd be closer to the college that I'll be attending. And there are several ways to get there. But...he's been taking me past the same jewelry shop for nearly a week. And last week he took me inside. I asked him why and he just steered me over to where the wedding bands and engagement rings were." Mai said softly.

"Do you think he's getting ready to propose?" Madoka asked gently as she steered her back to the bed and they sat down beside each other. Mai shrugged her shoulders with a smile.

"I don't know. The thing is...I don't know what I'd say. I mean I love him dearly but I don't think I'm ready for that commitment and neither is he. He's still hurting because Gene has moved on." Mai whispered. Madoka wrapped her arm around Mai's shoulders. "How did you know what to say when Lin proposed?"

"I just did. I mean, he didn't have a ring and it wasn't the typical proposal. He just asked me what I would say if he asked me to marry him. I told him yes. He just looked at me and then proceeded to ask again and I said yes again." Madoka chuckled. Mai giggled softly.

"It may not sound romantic but it does sound perfect." Mai whispered and Madoka giggled before she stood up to cover the sleeping Deshi.

"It was. And it will be for you too. When he asks, chances are you will be ready." Madoka told her. Mai rolled her eyes.

"_If_ he asks. This could be total speculation on my part." Mai whispered softly. She looked over at the crib and smiled as Deshi shifted in his sleep and she looked at Madoka and the woman gave her a gentle smile.

"Mai, I can't see Noll letting you go. It took him to long to see what was right in front of him and now that he's found it...I can't see him letting it go." Madoka whispered before she stood up and Mai followed her out of the room. Mai smiled at Naru brightly and he gave her a smirk in return. It wasn't a smile but Naru wasn't supposed to smile often.

Mai sat down beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He blinked in surprise as she lay her head on his shoulder. He swallowed wondering what she was doing. She held onto him for a few more moments before she leaned up to his ear.

"I love you, Oliver."

* * *

Alright, there will be a sequel to this story! So remember to review so I know what you want me to do. And tell me what you think! See you all in the next story! Kieno0324 


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